


Shards 2: The Starless Sky

by ColossusRhodes



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Epic Battles, F/F, F/M, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Yearning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:27:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 112,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28482363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColossusRhodes/pseuds/ColossusRhodes
Summary: They have been awakened.The Celestials, beings of the cosmos, who have slumbered for untold millennia have finally broken free of their prison and Nova, a dying star, seeks what once was hers. Her sun drop, Solsta… and Chandra, the traitorous moonstone who took her star from her.But Nova is running out of time. The more she waits the more unstable the power within her becomes and if she is unable to consume the sun drop, she will turn into something more, something so dark and powerful that it threatens to rip the stars from the sky and take everything with her into oblivion.The only ones who can stop her are the two mortals with whom the sun drop and moonstone have shared their power with: Rapunzel and Cassandra. But when the only chance they have to save the Seven Kingdoms and even the world means using the ultimate power, a power that consumes any who wields it, who will make the sacrifice?In this deadly game of cosmic power, can one person really change the Fate’s design? Or will the destiny finally end?The epic sequel and conclusion to “Shards”
Relationships: Cassandra/Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 412
Kudos: 277





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> (See end notes if you're curious what I was listening to when writing this chapter)
> 
> Also, ran out of room in the Summary but just a warning:
> 
> Blood/violence/death (major/minor characters)/trauma  
> Adult language  
> Alcohol use  
> Other stuff for mature audiences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Celestials awaken and escape their prison

**Several Millennia Ago**

It was silent.

Deathly silent.

One barely heard the whisper of the wind as the realization of what they had done sunk in like a heavy weight into soft earth. It seemed even the world itself was stunned at what it had been forced to witness.

Fresh blood began to slide down Demanitus’s cheek like a single crimson tear and he knew with certainty that eye would never weep again. Considering the cost of what the others had paid, however, it was minuscule. Much more than an eye had been sacrificed here this day.

“Even with your magic and my technology, this place will not hold them forever,” he said, his voice steady enough to lean upon.

“I know,” replied the Watcher. “But hopefully we will not need forever.”

A agonizing yell wrapped in anger ripped through the air like the famous blades of the plainswomen and Demanitus prepared for a warrior’s wrath.

“The cost was too high!” Ingvarra shouted as she strode over to them. Her presence was commanding, her movements sure, and the wicked looking spear she held in her hand was thirsting for revenge.

“We _all_ paid a price this day,” Zhan Tiri hissed protecting her weakened flesh.

But her words did little to ease Ingvarra’s rage. She thrust her face into Zhan Tiri’s and said with the quietness of an assassin’s dagger sliding free of its sheath, “I do not see you lying on the floor with the rest of my friends.”

Had Ingvarra been among the other members of her tribe, there might have been tears in her eyes. But not here. Not in this place. Not in front of these people.

Her anger burned hotter than grief.

Until a voice changed that.

“Ingvarra...”

The agonizing fury of despair suddenly drained from her chest on the breath of that one whisper and she turned and ran, collapsing to her knees beside the body of her fallen comrade. Her mighty spear clattered on the stones as it fell from numb fingers.

“Seiga...” Ingvarra said quietly placing a calloused hand against the woman’s face. “I should have known. You were always the strongest among us.”

“Not strong... enough,” Seiga replied, every word an effort. A bolt of pain suddenly lanced through her body and she grasped Ingvarra’s hand and squeezed. Her brows knitted together as she struggled to stay for just a few more precious moments. “Ingvarra... please. My tribe... my family. Watch over them...”

Ingvarra pursed her lips to keep them from trembling then said in a calm that belied the despair that consumed her heart, “I will treat them as my own daughters, Seiga. Them and all the others who have lost their leaders this day. I swear to you.”

The warrior smiled knowing her friend would keep that promise.

And Seiga knew she could finally rest.

Slowly, so very slowly the light left her eyes and the grip that had held Ingvarra’s so tightly suddenly relaxed, and Ingvarra knew her friend felt no more pain.

Hot tears burned the fresh wounds on her face and she squeezed her eyes shut and screamed. For all they had done, all they had sacrificed... what was victory without those with whom to share it with?

“I am sorry, Ingvarra,” the Watcher said quietly, “but it was the only way.”

She whirled to face him and let the pain from the salt of her tears against her open skin fuel her anger. “And what of you?! What price did _you_ pay??”

There was nothing in those eyes that she could see. No sorrow, no regret, no loss. Just the wisps of smoky light that passed over his irises like clouds in an already stormy sky.

But just because it could not be perceived by mortals did not mean it wasn’t there. The Watcher’s cost weighed heavily on him. The responsibility hunched his shoulders and added a promise of many restless nights. No, not nights.

Lifetimes.

Centuries.

However long it would take.

“I will remain and keep vigil over this world and all who inhabit it to ensure that your price was not paid in vain.”

“And what of the sun drop and moonstone?” Zhan Tiri asked suddenly.

The Watcher turned his sightless gaze upon her. “The time will come when they will be reunited. Until then, they must not be disturbed.”

But that was not the answer Zhan Tiri wanted to hear. Sweeping an angry arm wide, she yelled, “But you’ve seen what the power of cosmic beings can do let alone _two_ of them _combined_! Look around you! Look at what they’ve done! Imagine what could be possible if--”

“Enough, Zhan Tiri!” Demanitus said strongly.

They faced each other in silent challenge and an amusing thought passed through Zhan Tiri’s mind that Demanitus looked a lot less imposing with only one remaining eye.

But what Demanitus saw with the single eye told him much about his friend. There was the unmistakeable lust for power in her lavender gaze and he knew that the sun drop and moonstone were not safe.

Not from her.

Not after what they witnessed here today.

With an eerie calmness that came from one who was too numb to feel anymore, Ingvarra lifted the helm of her fallen sister and clutched it tightly in her hand.

“I am done with you,” Ingvarra said suddenly cutting the tension between them. “ _All_ of you. Send me and my sisters home.”

The Watcher tilted his head in agreement and with a wave of his hand, he rent the air asunder. It glowed with a faint orange aura and through it Ingvarra could see a purple tinged sky as the sun began to set on a land so very far away.

The portal moved forward gently over the bodies of the six warriors and Ingvarra knew they would be resting on the grasses of the western plains when she herself stepped through.

It would have been simple to incline her head in thanks but Ingvarra refused even that small gesture. She had already given too much today.

Hefting her spear, she tapped it once on the ground, the last call of thunder of a dying storm, then she stepped fearlessly forward and vanished.

And the Watcher knew even without his magical sight that what had happened to Ingvarra here today would cascade throughout time and set the foundation for the hope of tomorrow.

Now for the others...

But just as he raised his withered old arm a second time Zhan Tiri stopped him.

“You leave this place unprotected, Watcher?” she asked with curious amusement. “I thought you’d do better to protect what we fought so hard to contain.”

“This place will not be disturbed,” the Watcher replied. “I will make sure of that.”

“I want more than your assurances. I want my own.”

The Watcher waved her back towards the jungle and the path that lay beyond it. “Do as you wish but it makes no difference. If one is meant to pass, they will pass.”

Zhan Tiri’s eyes narrowed dangerously. If there was one thing she disliked it was someone telling her that what she chose to do was pointless. It stung on a level so deep it was more painful than the mark the power of the gods had left upon her.

Weakened as she was, she did the only thing she could do and walked away, her mind set on protecting this place for all it had cost them with or without the help of Demanitus and the mysterious Watcher.

With the area surrounded by natural rock, she decided an elemental would do. Simple, brutal, strong. It would be enough.

Not enough to stop a Celestial, however. What she had seen here today... the raw _power_... she wanted it. Craved it. _Needed_ it. And if that meant betraying her friend and seeking out the sun drop and moonstone herself, well... the bonds of friendship were so easily broken.

And one did not need friends when one had power.

Demanitus watched her go and not for the first time did he feel that familiar sensation at the back of his neck, the prickling of a warning.

“She will betray you,” the Watcher said as if reading his thoughts.

“I know.” There was a tinge of sadness in his voice. Regret, even. But even in despair Demanitus was a rational man. Cold. Calculating. Logical. He was one who was never without a plan.

“I would like to learn more about these portals of yours,” he said simply without turning.

The Watcher’s sightless eyes looked at him curiously. “For what purpose?”

Demanitus hesitated. He had hoped it would never come to this. “A contingency plan of sorts.”

Several long moments passed as the Watcher considered his request until, finally, he slowly tilted his head once in agreement. “Very well. Come with me back to the Nexus. However, I must warn you that you will have many more questions than when you began and I cannot answer all of them.”

“I understand.”

And for the first time since Demanitus saw the Watcher emerge from the dusty wasteland, he saw the mysterious man smile.

“No,” the Watcher whispered in a voice that was very much like a mother responding to a child who excitedly grasped her hand claiming to understand the ways of the universe. “You have no idea.”

They walked down the steps and crossed the threshold together but whereas Demanitus kept walking, the Watcher suddenly stopped and turned. He touched a withered hand to the surface of the smooth white rock and closed his eyes. A feeling like static crackled in the air and upon the stone an intricate pattern of light appeared. Demanitus tried to trace it in his mind and decipher it but it was simply too complex, the way the lines wove in and out like knots were like none he had never seen before... the likes of which no mortal had ever seen before.

“Will that be enough?” Demanitus asked curiously.

“It will ensure that only those with the power of the stars can enter this place. Do not worry. It will be well protected.”

When the glow faded, the Watcher stood and lifted his sightless gaze to the temple. Left uncared for, it would turn to ruins. Crumbling. Forgotten. The place where monsters slumbered.

He could almost feel their life forces pulsing like heartbeats so far below in the stony catacombs. Slow, so very slow but it was there.

They were still alive.

Hungry.

Thirsty.

 _Seething_.

And the Watcher dreaded the day when they would finally be free.

*****

**Present Day**

Thick inky blackness oozed to the ground in tiny rivulets staining the ancient stone with the blood of gods. The starlight on the surface of the puddles twinkled then went dim, galaxies and nebulae never to be born... Wonders of the universe erased from existence never to be seen again.

Out of seven she had chosen two.

The rest would remain in the eternal slumber of death’s embrace sent there by her own hand. Nova didn’t mind the darkness that coated her hand, the feeling of coldness that followed after the death of so much cosmic matter. In truth, she reveled in it. It made her feel alive.

Besides...

The twinkling that coated her fingers were absorbed into her porcelain skin and the golden cracks around her wrists began to heal. It was slow, the fractures disappearing to be replaced by that delicate alabaster facade that held back so much chaos.

It wasn’t much.

No, the light of these creatures was never going to be enough but it would buy her time.

Time she so desperately needed.

There was no longer a reason to stay in the darkness of the place that had served as their prison for untold millennium. Nova craved freedom and something that burned much hotter.

Vengeance.

The moment they ascended into the Chamber of the Celestials she immediately felt it in the air.

“It was here,” Nova hissed, her voice an ethereal echo that bounced off everything and nothing. The others remained silent and she did not expect them to speak. They were chosen for their abilities, not their input.

She reached out delicate pointed fingers and tasted the air through her mask of porcelain. It was familiar. Oh, so familiar... It stirred things inside her that had long slumbered and she let it rise within her burning white hot and dripping with venom.

“ _Chandra_.”

And a dark voice whispered next to her, “ _Moonstone.”_

In fluid motions, Nova strode across the floor on long limbs to the wall where the ancient incantations rested. She brushed her fingertips over each and every one of them and the lights that danced around the room sparked in recognition at her touch. Her brothers and sisters of the cosmos, some gone, others...

She stopped.

With a gentle hand, she lovingly caressed the visage of the sun, tracing every beam that radiated from its perfectly symmetrical center, her porcelain fingers softly grating against the stone. It was beautiful. It was hers, no... it was supposed to be hers. The longing to reclaim what had slipped from her grasp caused Nova’s chest to rise.

She turned to the moon engraved beside it and put her hands in the gash marks that marred its incantation, its history, its very existence. Each of her long claws fit perfectly inside the damaged stone and that same rage she had felt so long ago began to burn bright once again.

“I will find you, Chandra. And I will take back my sun drop.”

A dark shadow of a thing hunched over a spot on the ground and waved at the air as if sorting through strings of yarn, his spindly fingers moving rapidly in and out, in and out... searching, weaving through the cosmic threads.

Nova was glad it was he that had awoken with her. She would have rather not have to kill him. He was very good at what he did.

“What have you found, Eos?”

Beneath the dark mask, Eos licked this tongue over sharp teeth and his black lips pulled back in a smile. “Solsta’s presence _.._. it lingers...”

With spider-like grace, Nova moved to a specific spot in the center of the chamber and hovered over it. Yes... she felt it now. The sun drop had lain here. That undulating wave of warmth that floated up from the ground like a beacon, a very faint beacon, but there was no mistaking it. It was a familiar feeling that Nova craved.

Yes... Solsta had been here.

Surrounded by the embrace of the moonstone.

The amber of her ruptured veins began to glow with fury and she wrapped her fingers into a fist, her sharp claws digging into her palms causing liquid gold to run down her arm like precious godly blood.

Movement off to the side got her attention and she turned and saw the other, Celeanos, gesturing at something on the ground. It floated into the air and she pushed it gently towards Nova. It looked like torn parchment with some pathetic earthly script scribbled on its facade. Mortal words.

No matter.

With a wave of her hand, the ink began to glow. Torn from the parchment, they rose into the air and into the empty sockets of Nova's mask. The suddenness of the transference forced her head backwards and images began to form in her mind.

A witch, a dark palace, the moonstone, a girl...

Her head suddenly snapped violently forward, the pictures leaving behind the the distinct features of a face with dark hair and hazel eyes.

“Cassandra...” Nova hissed. “Astrium’s _Bellachandra.”_

The sudden warmth of the gold running down her arm forced her to spare a glance at her hand. She was becoming easier to break.

Unstable.

She was running out of time.

But no matter.

In this place, the moonstone had a different name.

It was only a matter of time before she found her.

*****

It started as a small wave and cascaded out through the existence of time and space. For a being who was present in the nexus of all things, the Lorekeeper felt it in his chest and saw it with his sightless eyes. The only thing that rivaled the rippling of the awakening was the extreme sorrow in the old man’s heart.

With a bowed head, the Lorekeeper closed his eyes. “They are coming for you, my children,” he whispered.

Wisps echoed through the air and he felt a complicated wave of emotions that were expressed purely in color and threads of light. It made the Lorekeeper furrow his brows in despair.

“I am sorry,” he said.

Suddenly the rings of the Nexus Gateway that had spun for what seemed an eternity shuddered and vibrations hummed in the air in a distressed call that would go unanswered.

With a groan one of the rings stopped rotating though still it tried. It struggled and jerked spasmodically like some great force was preventing it from moving but the Lorekeeper knew it was fighting a battle it simply could not win. What descended from its portal was beyond anything it could control.

There were three of them and the Lorekeeper knew precisely which ones.

Eos, the Hunter.

Celeanos, the Ravager.

And, finally...

Nova.

The Destroyer.

The Hunger.

 _The Desperate_ , the Lorekeeper added silently. But, as he well knew, the desperate ones were the most dangerous because they had everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose.

“Watcher,” Nova boomed in that double voice of hers. Had she been able to narrow the eyes of her mask, she would have done so. “I should have known.”

If the old man felt fear, he did not show it and it brought forth memories that reminded Nova not to underestimate him.

“Where are the sun drop and moonstone?” she said.

The name resonated with the old man. It sounded ancient even to him, something he had not been called in a very long time.

“They are not here,” the Lorekeeper replied, undaunted by her commanding presence.

The Celestial stepped forward towering over the small man. “That is not true.”

In response, the Lorekeeper waved a hand in the air and called forth a glowing orb from the library of history that surrounded him.

“Here is your proof.”

Images began to form inside the sphere and all three creatures watched the sun drop and moonstone merge and disappear into the cosmos, their trajectory unknown. Their ultimate destination a mystery.

But Nova was not convinced. With smooth pointed legs, she glided around the elder man, the _tap tap_ of her steps echoing loudly in the vast endless space. “So there is no way to retrieve them?”

It was said with such a subtle edge that the Lorekeeper knew he needed to tread carefully with his next words. “No, you cannot.”

She turned on him quickly, extending a claw to reach up under his chin but she did not touch him. “An interesting choice of words. That _I_ cannot retrieve them. But I bet another can.”

She leaned in close, her mask right in the Lorekeeper’s face forcing his sightless eyes in line with her sockets filled with a fathomless darkness.

“Tell me where I can find Cassandra.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Celestials Theme - “Seven Devils” by Florence + The Machine  
> Nova - “Emerald Vale” by Justin E. Bell  
> Arrival into the Nexus/The Hunt Begins - “Fall of the Veil” by Shelby Merry


	2. The Thrill of the Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra and Rapunzel enjoy their newfound freedom. Well... sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recommended listening for the first part: “He’s A Pirate” by Klaus Badelt/Hans Zimmer
> 
> If you've stuck with me this long, though, you know that whenever "He's a Pirate" shows up, there's gonna be shenanigans and a fight
> 
> Rest of the soundtrack list in the end notes (for those curious)

If there was such a thing as a perfect day, surely the clear blue sky and dazzling sun with a warm breeze couldn’t have been any better. The songs of birds filled the air and created a symphony that simply belonged to the springtime and nowhere else. Mother Nature sang to them with a gentle wind and the leaves responded with a melody of rustles, the chittering of woodland creatures as they ran about carefree was the chorus. It was a land at peace, the animals in perfect harmony with the rest of the earth.

A low rumble, a decidedly out of place percussion, grew louder shaking the pebbles on the ground causing a pair of squirrels to look up curiously.

The carriage flew through the air and landed with a _thunk!_ as the wheels once again gained traction and sped down the dirt road causing the critters alongside the road to scatter in a panic.

Cassandra almost lost her footing atop the wagon and was barely able to bring her sword up in time to block the bandit’s blade.

“Take it easy, Raps!” she called behind her.

“I can go fast or I can let them catch us!” the princess replied over her shoulder, the powdered wig atop her head swaying precariously in the wind. “Pick one!”

The horses behind them were gaining and with them the shouts of angry men and several clicks of crossbow bolts being loaded.

Cassandra ducked then pivoted on her back foot and knocked the legs out from underneath the bandit. He landed hard atop the carriage and with another kick, she thrust her boot in his face and knocked him over the side.

She easily regained her feet until the familiar sound of a fletched arrow screamed through the air and Cassandra dropped to her stomach just as the crossbow bolt sailed over her head.

“They weren’t supposed to have crossbows!” she shouted to no one in particular. “Where the fuck did they get crossbows from?!”

“Cass, language!”

“Are you _serious_ , Raps...?!”

But before she could say another word another bandit had managed to ride up alongside the carriage and grasp the frame then began to haul himself up just as another attempted to do the same on the other side.

But Rapunzel saw him coming out of the corner of her eye. With a sharp jerk of the reigns, Max veered to the right and the bandit who had reached for the side panels suddenly found himself without anything to hold on to with his torso halfway out of the saddle. With a shout he pitched the rest of way forward and fell from his horse and tumbled away in a tangle of limbs and a cloud of dust.

The other however had used the momentum of the maneuver to get to the top just as Cassandra swayed on unsteady legs. His blade grazed her lightly across the cheek and she swore, softer this time so Rapunzel wouldn’t hear her.

She blocked the thrust to her midsection and circled to her left careful of where she placed her feet. There was precious little space atop the carriage and one misstep was all it would take to go tumbling over the edge. But another sharp turn by Rapunzel and both Cassandra and the bandit were thrown off balance. They locked eyes, each seeing an opportunity to down their opponent and they rushed forward at the same time.

If they had been on steadier ground, Cassandra would have let him strike first and pivot herself around him for the disabling blow but she didn’t have the space or patience for such a maneuver this time. Instead, she let him swing high while she dodged low but as soon as his knee came up, Cassandra was forced to twist out of the way and they swapped positions on the roof.

Her heel felt the edge of the rear of the carriage and suddenly her opponent smiled. But it wasn’t because she ran out of room, Cassandra realized. No... her back had just become a wide open target for his very trigger happy friends.

_Oooooh, shit._

In a moment of half panic and half reflex, Cassandra pressed the heel of her boot backwards and dropped over the edge and sank her knife into the wood just as the crossbow bolts let loose. The whistle of multiple fletchings screamed through the air where she had stood precious seconds before, striking their comrade in the chest who backpedalled from the blow and pitched over the side of the carriage.

Cassandra held on to the hilt for dear life as the ground sped past underneath her feet. It grazed her heels and she tucked her legs, her sweat slicked grip on her knife slipping.

“Raps!”

The bandits were right in front of her, a helpless target. As they began to reload their crossbows, something white and fluffy flew through the air and hit the nearest rider in the face making him drop his weapon. Cassandra would have laughed at the sight of a man being disarmed by a powdered wig had she not been in such a precarious position but still, it was pretty damned amusing.

“Cass!”

She looked up and saw Rapunzel reaching out a hand to her. She swung up and took it then with her other grasped the edge of the carriage and hauled herself up and pulled her long knife free.

There was another click and with sharp reflexes honed by years of practice Cassandra reacted. Her arm shot out just as the crossbow bolt flew through the air and her fingers wrapped around it just before it reached Rapunzel’s chest. With a furious hand, she tightened her grip and snapped the quarrel in two then threw the remnants to the side.

“Get back to Max and get us out of here,” Cassandra told her. It made sense, surely, but the real reason she wanted the princess to get to the horse was so that no more errant bolts flew in her direction. Cassandra was fast but not that fast. She wouldn’t be able to stop them all if they all managed to fire at once.

Thankfully Rapunzel didn’t argue and disappeared over the edge of the front and picked up Max’s reigns. “Is he still following us?” she called over her shoulder.

“Oh, yeah,” Cassandra replied. “I see him. We pissed him off good.”

There were three horsemen left but she only really cared about one.

There was a slight change in the direction of force as they sped around a wide bend then, suddenly, the carriage beneath her feet began to slow and the bandits rapidly closed the distance.

“Raps, what are you doing? Get us out of here!”

“I _can’t!_ Cass, you need to get off the--”

The rest of her words were lost amidst the clash of metal as two of the bandits climbed atop and attacked.

“ _Cass!”_

“I’m a little _busy!”_ Cassandra replied and ducked. She was losing ground being forced to the edge of the roof towards the left side.

_“CASS!”_

The way she shouted her name made Cassandra look up and that’s when she saw it.

How the ground dropped away precious few hundreds of yards in front of them.

How the road suddenly bent at a sharp angle, a turn they weren’t going to make at the speed they were going.

How well and truly fucked they were.

Suddenly she was out of options and out of time. Just as Rapunzel sliced Max’s tethers free of the wagon Cassandra saw one of the bandit’s abandoned horses keeping pace alongside the carriage and knew she had no other choice.

She quickly sheathed her blade and jumped. It wasn’t a graceful landing but it got her where she needed to be and she hit the saddle hard and wrapped her arms around the horse’s neck to stabilize her fall. It was a move the animal certainly didn’t like that and whinnied in protest but as soon as Cassandra righted herself she grabbed the reigns.

The carriage sped forward and the two bandits left atop it suddenly turned and realized why she had stolen their ride. They jumped off the roof at the same time moments before the carriage careened over the ledge and down into the rocky ravine below.

They, too, had not landed gracefully. One rolled to a stop and lay groaning in the dirt while the other had the misfortune of trying to grasp at a slightly out of reach tree limb only to get smacked in the forehead by a larger branch and turn head over ass in one complete rotation before landing on his back.

“Oh hoho! That’s got to hurt!” Cassandra said as she pulled the reigns on the horse and spared a glance over her shoulder. If there was one thing she could appreciate it was seeing a bad guy get clotheslined in the face. By a tree. Now _that_ was amusing.

There was a click and a _thoom!_ then searing pain exploded against her shoulder and ripped the sleeve of her shirt. Her _new_ shirt. Ugh, this was why she couldn’t have nice things.

It was only because her horse just so happened to turn at that exact moment that the crossbow had missed embedding itself in her flesh. It was damned good luck.

 _Good horse_ , Cassandra mentally told the steed.

But the sound of another shot startled the creature and suddenly reared backwards, throwing her from the saddle.

“Bad horse! _”_

She landed on her back with an _oof!_ just as the animal took off and the click of a crossbow above her made her freeze. Towering over her was the visage of one ugly son of a bitch made even uglier with the broken nose that was slowly dripping blood down his chin.

It was his own fault, really, Cassandra mused. He had introduced himself with a sneer and she had introduced herself with her fist.

With a fresh quarrel loaded, he looked down at Cassandra and leveled the weapon at her.

“Did you really think you could just barge in and not leave without a bolt through the neck?” he said with a mouthful of red stained teeth. “I’ve killed others like you before. You’re nothing special.”

“Maybe, but I bet the others couldn’t do this,” Cassandra said and looked off to the side past the man’s shoulder. He instinctively followed her gaze but there was nothing there.

Suddenly from the opposite direction the ends of leather reigns wrapped around his crossbow and yanked it from his hand, the loaded quarrel discharging harmlessly into the hard packed ground.

When he turned, his face connected solidly with a fist and he fell from his horse to the ground in a heap of limbs.

From atop Max’s saddle, Rapunzel looked down at Cassandra and gave her her best roguish smile.

“I believe that’s four,” the princess said in an amused voice.

“One,” Cassandra countered.

“Four.”

"One," Cassandra replied again holding up a finger for emphasis.

" _Four_."

A disbelieving huff escaped Cassandra's mouth and she blurted, “What are the other three??”

Rapunzel began counting on her fingers. “There was that little mishap in the farming village, then the ambush inside the town square of Stone River Pass, and let’s not forget Draxia...”

“Draxia was _not_ my fault and you didn’t so much save me as... _assist_ me,” Cassandra replied matter-of-factly waving a hand in the air.

The princess jumped down from the saddle and helped Cassandra to her feet, a giant smile on her face. “Come on, Cass. There’s nothing wrong with needing a little help every now and then. Besides, we make a great team.”

But Cassandra knew why Rapunzel was keeping count. “All I’m saying is you better get your facts straight before you put anything in that journal of yours.”

“I’m thinking two, no... _five_ pages! With at least one full page spread!” Rapunzel said running a hand through the air imagining the text in her mind as she slipped her other through the crook in Cassandra’s arm. “‘Saved Cass for the fourth time this week. She ran into trouble due to her arch nemesis, the crossbow...’”

Cassandra made an indignant noise but, try as she might, she couldn’t keep a straight face amidst the constant nudging and cajoling. She tucked her lips together to stop the smile she tried so hard to keep off her face from appearing.

“Fine!" she said with a grunt. "I’ll give you three of those but Draxia still doesn’t count.”

Rapunzel glanced at her sideways and chuckled. She knew Cassandra, knew she wasn't as upset as she let on because of that slight tug in the corner of her mouth, the one that betrayed a shadow of a smile. But it was more than that... it was that slight tilt of her head, the way she raised a curious eyebrow and narrowed her eyes in amusement. All those little mannerisms Rapunzel never noticed before were now so obvious. It was amazing how easy things had become between them. The conversation, the gentle teasing... the princess found it all so endearing. Their friendly banter was them making memories. No longer would Rapunzel have to ask Cassandra about her swashbuckling adventures.

She was living them right beside her.

And she couldn’t be happier.

A pained moan drew their attention back to the matter at hand.

Cassandra approached her target slowly and put a boot on his chest. Such a theatrical display wasn’t practical but hell, she felt like showing off just a bit. Besides, the man wasn’t getting up anytime soon if she could judge by the way he tried to blink the stars from his eyes and how lazily his head rolled to the side.

“So much for being the tough guy,” Cassandra said. “Well, Ford, you’re--”

“Oh, Cass, can I do it?” Rapunzel interrupted quickly. The amount of excitement coming off of her made it so damned difficult to say no.

“Sure thing, Raps. Go for it.”

Rapunzel glowered over the semi-conscious man and with her toughest voice said, “Jobias Ford, you’re wanted for crimes against the Seven Kingdoms. We’re taking you in!”

Cassandra placed a hand on her shoulder. “Nice, Raps. Now--”

“There’s a new sheriff in town!” the princess continued, pointing a finger in his face and Cassandra gently pulled her gently away.

“Okay, reel it back a bit,” she said then turned to the thug. “You’re her first bounty so she’s a little excited.”

But Ford just moaned and let his head fall back to the dirt.

*****

“So are we taking the others in as well?” Rapunzel asked.

“First rule of bounty hunting is don’t do any extra work they’re not paying you for,” Cassandra explained. “The reward is just for Ford. Besides, I don’t think Max is going to want to carry any extra weight back to town since we _lost the Duke’s carriage_.” She said the last part with a smirk and Rapunzel jabbed her in the side.

“Oh, I’m sorry! If you had a _better_ way to stop us from careening off a cliff, I would have loved to hear it _ten minutes ago_!” Rapunzel teased. Cassandra said nothing and instead shyly hid the rest of her smile, a gesture the princess found absolutely charming. 

It was the little things like this that meant so much to the princess. How they could joke and laugh and just live in the moment.

But it was more than that. The more time they spent together the more Rapunzel realized Cassandra’s subtle mannerisms of affection that she had been so unaware of before. How the princess would often catch her gazing at her from across the fire then quickly turn away, or the way her hand reached for her when they walked side by side so close yet not quite touching. Or when they kissed, the way she would touch her skin so uncertainly until Rapunzel let her know it was okay. The way the moonstone would make the air between them glow...

It hadn’t escaped Rapunzel’s notice that not once during their adventures had Cassandra used her moonstone powers. How easy it would have been to stop the carriage with a bit of magic or trap the bandits before they even got on their horses but she hadn’t.

Rapunzel didn’t have to ask why. She knew it was a difficult thing for Cassandra to accept, that she had been born of magic was something that still tasted so bitter in her mouth. Everything she went through and struggled to achieve and to survive in her life had been done with her own blood and sweat.

In those few moments where she was a whisper away from death, where was the magic then? Sleeping. Waiting. It was untrustworthy and if Cassandra couldn’t trust it she’d rather put her faith the blades in her hands than a power she never knew she had.

“Fair enough,” Cassandra said after a moment. “Just don’t mention it to the Duke.”

“Um, we just saved the Duchess by drawing out the bad guys plotting to kidnap her. He should be buying _us_ a carriage.”

“Well he _is_ paying us, Raps. And with this handsome bounty, we’ll finally have enough to take the ferry to...”

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Rapunzel slide just a bit closer, her ear turned ever so slightly in her direction and Cassandra was glad she caught herself in time.

“Never mind,” she quickly added and tightened the straps on Max’s saddle bag.

But Rapunzel would not be so easily deterred. “Oh, come on, Cass! Tell me where we’re going!” she said grabbing her arm.

“I told you, it’s a surprise.”

“I know but... _ugh!_ Just give me a hint.”

The tugging on her arm finally got to the point where she could no longer concentrate so Cassandra turned and rolled her eyes. “Fine. We are...” she watched as Rapunzel hung on her every word, “taking a ferry.”

“ _Cass!”_

“That’s all you’re getting.”

“You’re impossible.”

“What? You love surprises. Why are you trying to ruin this one?”

Ah, she had her there. With a much exaggerated exhale, Rapunzel huffed, “Ugh, fine. Be that way.”

The princess released Cassandra's arm but as her fingers brushed over the fabric, that’s when she noticed the tear in her sleeve.

“Aw, Cass, you’re new shirt.” The spun cotton was still soft and new and one Rapunzel had painstakingly selected herself. Even though they had been low on money the princess had gotten it for her anyway and, even though Cassandra had protested the unnecessary expense, she had worn it ever since.

She ran her fingers over the tear. It wasn’t too bad, something that could easily be sewn. The blood that stained it, however...

“Cass...” the princess said drawing out the name into an accusation.

“Raps...” Cassandra replied with a precisely matched tone.

“I thought we agreed you were going to tell me when you got injured.”

“That,” Cassandra said tilting her head at her sleeve, “is not an injury.”

But she knew as well as the princess that it was a match she wasn’t going to win.

Rapunzel took her hand. “Come on. We’ve got time. Ford’s already tied up and he’s not going to be waking up anytime soon.”

She sat Cassandra down on a fallen tree trunk and had her slip her arm out of her sleeve. A slight line of red graced her left bicep; nothing too deep but still an open wound and ripe for infection if left unattended. It was easy to clean and after it was bandaged, Rapunzel dabbed the cloth on the cut on Cassandra’s face.

“Ow!” she flinched, shocked out of her reverie.

“Sorry! It’s just water! I didn’t think it would sting like that.”

“It didn’t. You just… startled me is all.”

Rapunzel raised an eyebrow. “You said ‘ _ow_ ’.”

It might have been a trick of the sunlight but she thought she saw Cassandra blush.

The princess put a hand on her shoulder and brought the cloth close to her face again. Cassandra half flinched but only for a moment and Rapunzel placed the cloth carefully on the cut.

“There. See? Not so bad.”

Cassandra smiled. “You’re pretty good at this. You know, if the whole princess thing doesn’t work out, you can always be a medic.”

“Hm, I suppose it’s good to have options. But if all my patients are stubborn like you, I might have to reconsider,” Rapunzel teased.

Then Cassandra burst into laughter so suddenly it startled Rapunzel.

“What?”

It took a moment for Cassandra to control herself and when she finally eased the rolling laughter down to muffled chuckles, she said, “You disarmed a man... with a powdered wig...”

With one look at each other they both began to laugh.

*****

By the time they arrived in the bustling little town of Mina two figures were already waiting, one with an air of authority and the other with the air of a short man used to wearing very large hats.

Cassandra reached up and pulled a tied up Ford from Max’s saddle and unceremoniously dumped him at their feet.

She said nothing, letting the work speak for itself.

“Ah, Jobias,” the sheriff said. “You’ve got a lot to answer for.”

The Duke approached Cassandra and Rapunzel and took the princess’s hand. “I cannot thank you enough for putting this elaborate plan together and saving my wife,” he said sincerely.

Ah yes, the plan. Well, the plan that was supposed to go one way and ended up going in a completely... unexpected direction as plans usually do. As much as Cassandra would have preferred the one she came up with, this particularly creative ruse had been Rapunzel’s idea. And while it went off the rails pretty quickly, she couldn’t argue with the results.

“We’re happy to help and glad that the Duchess is safe,” Rapunzel replied.

“Thanks are nice and all but...” Cassandra cleared her throat and held out a hand.

“Ah, yes! Apologies!” Reaching into his coat, the Duke withdrew a hefty coin pouch and gave it to Cassandra. Without even needing to meet her gaze, she knew Rapunzel was giving her a look. The princess may see the good in all people but when it came to the job, it would shock her to realize how many people would try to skimp out on a deal.

She would learn in that the second rule of bounty hunting was always make sure you get paid. Well, now that Cassandra thought of it, if was probably the _first_ rule.That and “don’t die.”

With practiced ease, Cassandra weighed the pouch in her hand and, satisfied with the heft, tucked it into her belt.

“Come on, Raps. Let’s get Fidella and--”

“Wait, what happened to my carriage?” the Duke asked suddenly and Cassandra froze. She could almost feel the coin pouch getting lighter.

“Oh, it’s... uh...” Her eyes darted around searching for an answer... Fence, chicken, tree... _Stuck in a tree? What? No..._

“...Being repaired!” Rapunzel added.

In a display that was almost comical, the Duke put a hand on his chest heaved a large sigh of relief.

“Ah, I was almost worried for a moment! That carriage has been in my family for generations. I thought perhaps the ruffians would have made off with it.”

“Yeah, Raps. Would have been a _shame_ if the _ruffians_ had taken it,” Cassandra said through the side of her mouth. The princess cast her a glance with a clear meaning of _I didn’t see you coming up with any better excuses!_

“We’ll just be getting my horse and going now,” Cassandra said, jerking a thumb towards the stables and taking large steps backwards away from the Duke and sheriff.

“Bye! Nice meeting you!” Rapunzel waved. Then with a much more serious face, she looked at Ford. “You better get your act together, punk! A life of crime doesn’t p--”

“Come on, Raps!” Cassandra said grabbing her arm and pulled her away. With one last look, the princess turned to Ford and pointed two fingers at her eyes then pointed them at him.

*****

Rapunzel had studied the skies and charted the stars but the one thing she didn’t know much about was what lie outside the edges of her maps. Visitors guides could tell you only so much but they didn’t take you there, let you breathe in the scent of unfamiliar trees or taste the food of local cuisine. So once the ferry had taken them across the water to a place their feet had yet to touch, Rapunzel found herself in a brand new world. 

They had traveled for most of the day and just when she was sure they were going to stop and make camp for the night, Cassandra kept going. It was unusual for her to want to travel during dark, preferring instead the safe glow of the campfire, but she was insistent and it made Rapunzel all the more curious.

Once they found a place for the horses to graze, Cassandra tied a piece of cloth around the princess’s eyes and took her hand.

She guided her across soft grass that yielded gently under the princess’s feet and tickled her toes. Crickets chirped in the late spring air and from somewhere to her right she could hear the sound of running water.

“Cass, where are we going?” she asked.

“Don’t worry, we’re almost there.”

Rapunzel squeezed her hand and she felt Cassandra gently press back. They walked a bit further until finally...

“Okay. Right here.”

Slowly the blindfold dropped from her eyes and when Rapunzel opened them she gasped.

A trio of fireflies arced through the air in front of her and she followed their flight out into the vast expanse before them. The night was alive with color that glowed in the darkness. Giant plants of pinks and purples shone with a natural emission that lit up everything around it creating pockets of light and dark hues that made the colors seem so very bright.The magnificent blues, oranges, yellows, pinks and greens of the bioluminescent forest pulsed with life. Insects of gold flittered through the air like faeries as they leapt from one plant to the next, their glow dancing in the air leaving trails like a long candlelit flame behind them and small puffs of light like luminous pollen gently fell like snow to the the violet and green flecked blades of grass.

And above it all were impossibly tall stone arches crossing from one end of the forest to the other like shooting stars made of rocks, glowing vines of all sorts of colors hanging from their frames like a string of lights down a city street.Everything had its own light from the plants to the cyan water to the insects that danced in the air like lanterns.

It was the most beautiful thing Rapunzel had ever seen and with her mouth agape in wonder, she turned to Cassandra. Well... the second most beautiful thing.

“Cass! It’s wonderful! What is this place?”

“Lumen de Silva. Forest of Light,” she replied gazing out at the otherworldly scene before them. Not many knew of the forest's existence, hidden as it was during the daytime. Only those fortunate enough to stumble upon the land during the nighttime hours got to experience what wonderful and beautiful things could happen in the dark. “It’s not quite the lanterns back home but... I wanted to make up for missing two of your birthdays those years I was gone.”

The hand that been wrapped around hers sudden crept up her arm then touched her cheek. When she turned towards Rapunzel the look in her eyes almost stopped her heart.

“Cass...”

It was the way she breathed her name. The way it escaped her chest as a slow exhale and lingered in the air wrapping around Cassandra’s senses paralyzing her. With the light of the forest reflecting off of the princess’s skin, she seemed to glow with a radiance all her own and Cassandra knew it was no trick. Rapunzel had always been the light of her life.

Gentle fingers curled behind her neck and pulled her down and her lips met Rapunzel’s in a way that was so slow yet so intense it sent sparks throughout her body. The princess tilted her head and Cassandra followed, inhaling and brushing her fingertips against her skin. It was electric. It charged her in a way nothing else could. It was almost too much to contain and she didn’t know were it could possibly go...

A soft blue glow filled the space between them and she felt Rapunzel’s lips curl into a smile. When Cassandra looked into her eyes she could see the light of her own moonlit irises reflected in them.

“I love that so much,” the princess whispered.

“What?” Cassandra asked not quite understanding.

“The way you glow.”

Cassandra lowered her eyes to her lips and grinned, her heart beating just a bit faster. “I’m not doing it on purpose. I guess you just have that affect on me.”

Rapunzel reached up and tilted Cassandra’s chin and wrapped her mouth around hers once again, the cyan glow between them chasing away the shadows and becoming just another light amongst the others in the magical forest.

*****

For the first time in a long time, Cassandra didn’t keep watch. The cold steel of her sword that normally leaned against her chest was replaced by Rapunzel’s hand on her heart and it made her feel stronger than her blade ever could. It soothed something inside of her and for once she was finally able to rest. The sigh that escaped her chest felt like she was letting go of all the things that weighed her down. Never in her life had she felt so at peace.

When the sun rose into the sky, the magic of the Forest of Light slowly began to fade, hiding their secret beauty until the next time darkness fell. Rapunzel stirred in her arms and Cassandra remained perfectly still but it was the slightest of movements that let her know she was awake. The fingers on her chest curled and was followed by a deep exhale that felt so warm against her skin.

When Rapunzel opened her eyes she knew Cass would be there. She always was. Always the first to wake. Always watching over her.

The princess couldn’t help but smile.

“Definitely worth the surprise,” she whispered.

“I hope so. That ferry ride wasn’t cheap.”

Rapunzel nudged her playfully then sat up. With a sharp inhale through the nose she breathed in the fresh scent of flowers and the earthy fragrance of exotic plants. The day was just beginning to warm and it reminded her that spring was quickly coming to an end. It seemed like summer was just around the corner.

There was that familiar feeling in the air... that anticipation that heralded the coming of her absolute favorite time of year when the skies would light up just for her like millions of stars.

In all the years since Rapunzel had been home after being rescued from the tower, she had only missed her birthday once. Her quest to follow the black rocks had been long and difficult and eventually she reached the threshold of her limits and felt utterly, horribly homesick. It shouldn’t have been a surprise but what was was that Rapunzel would be feeling it now, here, of all places.

The lights from last night, the warmth of the end of spring...

Yet her adventures with Cassandra were the best she ever had and she wanted more than anything for them to never end.

“So where are we heading next?” she asked instead.

“I don’t know if I should tell you or just keep surprising you,” Cassandra chuckled.

“Oh, come on now! This one was a surprise so now you have to tell me where we’re going next!”

But Cassandra remained silent and Rapunzel stared at her for long moments before she finally turned and the princess gave her her best pleading look.

“Ugh, alright, fine. We’re going to take the ferry to Corner Heights then west to the Monuments of Malastyne.”

“Malastyne!” Rapunzel said excitedly. “The _islands_ , Cass! I’ve never seen them before but I heard they’re gorgeous! Did you know that they say if you paddle a boat underneath each monument it’s good luck? Oh, I can’t believe we’re going to go see it!”

The pure excitement that rolled off her radiated out like the halo of the sun. 

“See now wouldn’t that have been a wonderful surprise?”

The princess cast her a knowing yet extremely excited glance. “Something tells me you have a lot more of those in store.”

A smile suddenly crossed Cassandra’s lips.

“What?” Rapunzel asked.

“I’m just thinking of all the places I want to show you. The Floating Isles, the Whistling Hollows, you’ll love the Painted Fields of Avondar... we can go see everything.”

Hearing those words was like a dream come true for Rapunzel. All she wanted was to travel the world, have an adventure or two... fill up her journal like her mother always wanted her to. And to do all these things with Cass by her side...

It was everything she ever wanted.

Rapunzel leaned her head against her shoulder closed her eyes and smiled. “Sounds perfect.”

*****

Considering all the other shit he had been through, Ford considered himself lucky. A jail cell was the least of his concerns and a temporary setback at best. Sure, he would be tried, sentenced, hell maybe even sent to the copper mines of Malanay but such things were hardly worth worrying about. He had friends. Friends in high places and they knew how to reach him.

It was only a matter of time before he was roaming the streets again, a free man. Or not. Hell, let them sentence him to death for all he cared. Ford had seen the worst mankind had to offer and he wasn’t easy to scare. He had faced Death before and laughed in its face.

The thought of him besting the likes of the reaper of souls made him lean his head back against the cold stone wall and smile. Perhaps he could persuade a few of his friends of circulate a story to help his reputation a bit. Twenty men were sent to kill him, eighteen went down by his blade but those last two... those last two were tricky but but Jobias Ford would have his revenge...

The torches in the hall suddenly flickered and the warm light they cast began to dim. The shadows around him seemed to grown just a bit thicker and the glow of the moon from the bars in the wall high above began to fade. The air grew still. Cold. Like he was suddenly surrounded by ice. It permeated through the skin deep into his bones. 

A feeling of dread washed over Ford and his eyes cast about nervously, not quite knowing what he was looking for. A slight movement, perhaps. Or a flicker or any other indication that he wasn’t alone. He could feel something watching him and suddenly his insides froze when he felt the breath on the back of his neck. The neck that was leaning against a solid stone wall. 

Something behind his ear exhaled with a low throaty smile, “ _Hhhhhhaaaaaaa...”_

Ford couldn’t move, his body immobilized in fear like the worst kind of sleep paralysis... except that he was awake. But knowing he was awake made it so much worse.

The shadows shifted and gathered before him, morphing into the shape of a lean bipedal creature that looked human...

Almost.

The proportions were grotesquely off, the limbs too long, the body moving too fluidly for any human to manage like gravity had no effect on it.

But worst of all was the face. Black lips stood out prominently on ashen skin with a sharp chin. The feeling from earlier about being watched made Ford sick with fear when he realized he couldn’t see the creature’s eyes covered as they were with a thick mask that absorbed all the light in the room and reflected it nowhere. The light was simply just... gone.

The face came close to Ford’s own and he shrank under it, the stone at his back unyielding as he tried to push away from this nightmare creature.

“ _Cassandra..._ ” it hissed and Ford could feel its breath like acid on his skin.

Ford opened his mouth but it was if he forgot how to speak. His jaw worked up and down but no sound came out.

The creature sniffed him once then curled its lips back in a smile. With long fingers, it plucked at the air and seemed to be weaving threads in and out repeatedly. The movement made Ford think of a spider weaving a web and he would have whimpered had he the voice to do so.

Suddenly the creature moved away from him and seemed to pull away a single thread from many though to Jobias's eyes there was nothing there. After inspecting the invisible strand, the nightmare's head turned to the north.

It moved to leave and that’s when Ford let out a sigh.

But whereas the sound began to escape from his lips, it ended with it coming out the gaping slash in his throat.

Eos smiled.

He was close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Carriage Chase - “He’s A Pirate” by Klaus Badelt/Hans Zimmer  
> Forest of Light - “Dark Magic” by Thomas Newman  
> Eos, The Hunter - “The Scientist” by Justin E. Bell


	3. The Lost Princess and the Rogue of Vardaros

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans go awry when troubling news reaches Cassandra and Rapunzel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted - “Jack Sparrow” by Hans Zimmer
> 
> Again... any Pirates of the Caribbean song always promises fun
> 
> UPDATE 01/06/21  
> So something was bothering me about the last fight sequence and I finally figured out what it was so I fixed it. You don't have to re-read it, I just tweaked some minor details but it still reads the same

Corner Heights had a bit of a strange name but the sailors and traders that founded the small town thought it appropriate enough. For those following the channels and land routes, it was the last of four outposts before the open sea. Though it was not situated in the corner of anything sitting just on the coast, such accuracy of the name mattered little to settlers. It was just a town and they knew anyone visiting likely wouldn’t be there long enough to give it a second thought.

Built upon a ridge that spiraled downwards towards the docks far below, the town itself had a bit of a reputation... one that Cassandra knew all too well. It wasn't just goods that flowed through the harbor but information. And information was often worth more than any piece of metal no matter how heavy.

It made it the perfect place to pick up some much needed coin.

While they had enough money to purchase some spare supplies and pay for a hearty meal in the pub, Malastyne was quite the distance away and if they were going to make it all the way out west they were going to need some extra funds.

As Rapunzel ate their meal at one of the vacant tables, Cassandra approached the bar and ordered a drink. Whether she intended to consume it or not didn’t matter when one was vying for information. It was the gesture alone that showed the man behind the counter she had the money to pay for more than just consumables.

“Any more bounties in the area?” Cassandra asked casually as the barkeep handed her a pint.

“In the area? Not many,” the large man replied wiping a mug with a questionably clean rag. “But if you’re going southwest, I heard there was one was posted not too long ago. Pays well considering where it’s coming from.”

“Name?”

“Cassandra of Corona.”

Her fingers stopped just short of curling around the handle of the mug as her heartbeat instantly became very loud in her ears and a chill ran down her chest all the way to her fingertips.

“What did she do?” she asked her throat suddenly dry.

“Pissed off the wrong people, is what,” the barkeep answered throwing the rag over his shoulder. He leaned easily over the tabletop. “Caused quite a stir in Vardaros. Some big time crime boss ended up in irons because of her. Been quite the talk of late. If you do decide to go after her, you might find your hands full. I hear she’s quite the demon in a fistfight.”

A small but wicked grin spread across Cassandra's lips. “I’m sure she is,” she replied then drank a good half of her ale in one pull.

Things just became much more interesting.

She tossed a coin on the counter and returned to the table where Rapunzel sat eating a hearty breakfast. The modest array of plates set before her was the first warm meal they've had in weeks but that was one of the perks of bounty hunting: the pay was substantially better than slinging grain or kicking drunks out of a pub. 

“Any news?”

“Hm? News? No, nothing interesting at least,” Cassandra replied distractedly.

For a split second of a moment when the barkeep had said her name, she didn’t think it was Vardaros that put her on the map. No, she thought it was someone who had much closer ties. Royal ties. Someone she wouldn’t put it past to put a price on her head for keeping his daughter out past curfew.

“...Calling her the Lost Princess again,” Cassandra suddenly overheard a voice say. She turned her head ever so slightly giving her ear a better angle to hear the rest of the conversation when she noticed Rapunzel had lowered her fork.

“...Left the kingdom to cure some unknown affliction and hasn’t returned. They fear the worst has happened to her.”

“I heard bandits kidnapped her and are holding her for ransom.”

“If that was true then the king would’ve just paid the ransom instead of issuing a reward for information about her whereabouts...”

And just like that Cassandra knew it was time to go.

“Excuse me,” Rapunzel said suddenly. The words circling the air next to them suddenly ceased and the table of three looked in her direction and Cassandra couldn’t decide which swear to pick.

“Where are these rumors coming from?” the princess asked.

It was the young man with a shabby cloth tied across his forehead who answered her. “From Corona. They’re looking for the princess. Last seen heading out of Vardaros a few months back. No word since then.”

A knot began to form in the pit of Rapunzel’s stomach and she suddenly wasn’t hungry anymore.

“Says she’s traveling with another,” the woman beside him remarked and cast a quick glance at Cassandra.

“The princess shouldn’t be to hard to spot. Brunette hair cut short, green eyes...” the other man added then droned off. “Bare...”

He looked under the table just as Cassandra put her boot down on the outside of Rapunzel’s foot to hide it from view.

But it was too late.

“Okay, we’re running now,” Cassandra said then kicked her chair at the trio to stop them from rising. The bigger man fell back into his seat with an _oof!_ but then he knocked the thing away just as his friends clamored to their feet.

But Cassandra and Rapunzel were already out the door. Hand in hand, they quickly took a sharp left around the corner pressing their backs against the wall just as the three emerged from the pub and surged past them.

“They just want information on her whereabouts--” the young man began.

“Yeah, but if the king’s willing to pay for information, he’d be willing to pay for a _lot_ more for her return!” the man said.

“I’m with Rolf,” the woman agreed. “Come on, I think they went this way!”

The footsteps gradually receded and Cassandra took a cautious peek around the corner.

“Cass, they’re looking for me--”

“I know, Raps. I was sitting right there,” Cassandra replied with more edge than she intended. Leave it to Rapunzel to ask questions of strangers when they could just as easily have slipped out the front door with no one the wiser.

“No, not them. My parents.”

It was said with such softness that somewhere in her chest Cassandra felt something stirring. She knew that if she turned and looked at Rapunzel now what she would see behind those emerald eyes and that wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have right now.

“We’ll worry about that later. We’ve got to get out of here.”

When the coast was clear, Cassandra pulled her down the street and slipped into an alley near the market shops.

A disguise would come in handy. Maybe they could snatch a few cloaks... but unless Rapunzel was suddenly in the mood to wear shoes she would be easy enough to spot. Gah! She had to think faster...

They had to get to the gate.

Get to the horses.

Get the hell out of here.

Word would spread fast and if they weren’t careful they’d have the whole town on their asses within a matter of minutes. Even if they were just looking for information on Rapunzel's whereabouts, this was a situation that promised to turn greedy _very_ quickly and Cassandra knew all too well that greedy people often became violent people. 

Her eyes darted back and forth from the market down the alley and back again searching for options.

“This is just a big misunderstanding,” Rapunzel said from beside her. “I’m sure if we just explain things to them--”

“They’re an overzealous bunch of wannabe bounty hunters trying to make names for themselves,” Cassandra clarified. “I don’t think we’re going to be able to talk them out the promise of a big payday.”

There was a clamor of excited shouts from down the street.

“Check that way!”

“They went through here!”

There were more words on the tip of Rapunzel’s tongue but now was not the time for conversation. 

“Come on!” Cassandra grabbed Rapunzel’s hand and they ran down the alleyway.

The space between the buildings began to narrow but they moved as quickly as they could, picking their way between crates and a few odd trash heaps doing their best to keep their footing as the uneven cobblestone began to slope downwards. A few pebbles from above tumbled past them and Cassandra spared a backwards glance and saw their pursuers close behind.

There was nowhere to turn, nowhere to climb and suddenly the alley opened up to a landing that terminated in a drop with the docks far below.

“Oh, this is just _fantastic_ ,” Cassandra muttered trading one “F” word for another in the presence of the princess.

“Cass!” Rapunzel pointed and there dangling not too far away were lines of fishing equipment hanging from several riggings high above.

“Go! I’m right behind you!” Cassandra said and she watched as Rapunzel took a short running start then jumped. Her hands tangled around the rope and she swung away for just a moment then began to climb down it.

“Cassandra of Corona!”

She whirled.

“Oh, it _is_ her!” the larger man named Rolf said. “We can cash in on the Vardaros reward _and_ the Corona one!”

“Yeah, but remember what they said about her,” the woman said eyeing Cassandra’s scars carefully.

“It’s three against one. Wha's she gonna do?”

The young man in front had a sword drawn but he sure as hell looked like he didn’t know how to use it.

“Hey, take it easy,” he said holding up a nervous hand. “We just want to help the princess get back home, that’s all. No need for things to get rough.”

“Listen, you seem like a nice kid even with a sword pointed at me and all,” Cassandra remarked waggling a finger at his blade. “But we’re not going anywhere with you no matter how polite you are.”

The kid seemed uncertain as to what he should do next but a sharp shove from the man behind him sent him sprawling forward and towards Cassandra. His foot caught on one of the cobblestones and he stumbled, the point of his sword angled out and the with wide eyes of one who had never killed a single being in his entire life suddenly found that that’s exactly what he was about to do.

Cassandra turned her body to the side and the sword sailed past but as she did so she saw the young man pitch forward towards the edge of the drop as his boot neared the lip of where the stone alley ended.

With sharp reflexes and an even sharper swear on her tongue, Cassandra grabbed the back of the lad’s shirt and pulled him in the opposite direction. But just as she turned her foot and threw him backwards, her heel stepped back on nothing but air and she suddenly felt herself becoming weightless.

And the swear word she had so carefully selected died on her lips as she pitched over the edge.

For a fraction of a moment, Cassandra simply floated, the wind rushing past her face in free fall until she felt the rough texture of a thick rope wrap itself around her leg. In the next stomach wrenching moment it pulled taught and the momentum caused her to swing away from ledge and towards the docks. She carefully opened one eye and saw the stunned upside down faces of the trio above her.

Maybe it was because she was no longer falling to her doom or maybe it was the blood rushing to her head but Cassandra suddenly felt like laughing. She looked up and there, of course, was Rapunzel, the tangle of rope coiled expertly around her hands.

“That’s five,” the princess said.

They tread lightly as they snuck their way down to the boardwalk keeping close to the tall walls with the city high above lest someone on the docks recognize them. It was busy this time of day as sailors disembarked and fresh crews filed in making it easy to get lost in the crowd. 

They moved quickly through the mass of bodies but kept their pace below a run lest they rouse some unwanted attention. With sure feet, Cassandra stepped to the left, right, two steps forward, then spun narrowly avoiding a sailor with a very large keg on his shoulders as she pulled Rapunzel along behind her.

Almost there. Just a bit further to the edge of the docks then all they needed to do was go up the steps, make their way to the gate where Max and Fidella were waiting and get the hell out of Corner Heights before anyone else decided they wanted to get rich and turn them in.

But Cassandra knew that luck wasn’t for them.

A shout not far behind them caused curious heads to turn and Cassandra spared a glance over her shoulder. 

"Shit!" she muttered and attempted to move faster but the crowd was simply too thick and the docks too cluttered with shipping supplies that it made movement difficult.

“Move! Get out of the way!” she shouted as she shoved past people.

“Excuse us! Sorry!” Rapunzel said in her wake.

Suddenly something grabbed the princess's arm from behind and pulled her backwards. Just as her hand slid from Cassandra’s grasp, Rapunzel turned and brought her elbow around and down just like Cass had taught her and struck the inside of Rolf’s forearm. The crook of his arm bent under the blow and he and numb fingers released her but his other hand reached out.

But Cassandra was suddenly in front of her and turned his hand outward then kicked him square in the chest sending him flying backwards and into a few angry strangers. He landed solidly on the boardwalk and the crowd parted around him.

His friends were already at his side, the young lad standing with sword drawn and the woman with her hand already drifting towards the hilt at her side. A groan threatened to escape Cassandra’s chest. She _really_ didn’t want to draw her blades in a crowd like this... there were simply too many innocent bystanders and the potential for their injury was simply too high. 

But these amateur bounty hunters were just that stupid.

It was the woman who lunged forward first, her wrist twitching as she began to unsheathe the sword at her hip. With a quick step forward, Cassandra kicked the hilt back into its scabbard and then caught the woman's arm and wrenched it upwards and away from her weapon. The woman cried out but then turned her body and with her free hand punched under Cassandra’s arm and hit her in the ribs.

It wasn’t a pleasant feeling by any stretch of the imagination but the blow had come at an odd angle and didn’t have enough force to do anything other than piss Cassandra off. With a slight shift of her weight, she brought her leg up and hit the woman in the back of the knee.

A particularly salty swear escaped her mouth out but just as Cassandra got ready to knock her out of the fight for good, she felt something sharp drag across the outer edge of her thigh and she spun.

The young lad held his sword pointed right at her, his eyes wide with fear and Cassandra guessed it was the first time his blade had ever tasted blood. It was a powerful feeling, she knew, being able to hold life or death over a being with something so simple as a sharp object. But that only worked if one was willing to pay the price that came with it and one look at the lad and Cassandra knew he wasn’t.

Her forearm struck his hand and knocked the weapon away and with a slight tilt of her head that couldn’t have been anything other than _Sorry, kid,_ she slammed her forehead into his face. She missed his nose on purpose... he really _did_ seem like a good guy, so instead of having his face broken he instead pitched backwards simply dazed with a headache that would last for quite some time.

Cassandra took a few steps and backpedalled away from the trio then turned and her eyes searched wildly for Rapunzel but she was nowhere to be seen. Where could she have gone? An angry shout from behind her told her she’d have to worry about that later. A quick dodge to the right saved her from the blade that crashed down where she had stood only seconds before and she whirled.

Rolf strode angrily towards her, the tip of his sword swaying dangerously before him. He came at her with his blade swinging recklessly in giant arcs and Cassandra knew that unless she disarmed him soon, someone in the crowd was going to get hurt. Behind him the woman was just starting to rise using her own blade to help get her feet underneath her and the possibilities of minimizing casualties began to shrink with every moment. 

It seemed unlikely that on such a clear day that a cloud should suddenly pass over them or, rather, just cast its shadow over the trio in particular. But just as Cassandra realized it was no cloud, she heard the snapping of ropes under tension and a great rumble filled the air as thousands of fish fell from the sky. The wave of sea life cascaded down and cringeworthy wet slaps filled the air at they hit the boardwalk and completely consumed the bounty hunters underneath the heap of foul smelling scales and fins.

When the last fish had settle, one lone cod fell from the pile and slid across the boardwalk and bumped into Cassandra’s boot.

“You looked like you could use some help,” Rapunzel said, swinging down from the net above and taking an easy seat atop a stack of crates. She swung her bare feet playfully in the air and smiled.

“Don’t you dare say it,” Cassandra warned her.

“My _FISH_!” someone from the deck of the boat screamed.

“Time to go!” Cassandra said and held up a hand. Rapunzel took it and jumped down and once again made their way quickly down the docks.

Keeping to the outskirts, they ducked behind stalls and moved cautiously past a pair of city guards. But once they reached the edge and saw the gates ahead, the promise of escape was within reach.

“Okay, I think we lost them,” Cassandra said. With a nod, both her and Rapunzel strolled out into the street like they had been there all along, just a couple of friends out for a walk, nothing out of the ordinary here.

“There they are!”

“Oh, come on!” Cassandra complained. “These guys aren’t even professionals! How do they keep finding us?”

With a sharp whistle, Rapunzel saw Max’s ears perk up and he turned and headed straight for her. She swung herself easily into the saddle just as Cassandra reached Fidella. She urged her steed to go and with one foot in the stirrup Fidella took off just as Cassandra launched herself atop her back. 

And just like that, she added the harbor town of Corner Heights to the places they probably wouldn’t be welcome back to.

They ran at a full gallop and only when they had put enough distance behind them did they finally slow. The chances of anyone chasing them were low but hell, Cassandra had been proven wrong before and she wasn’t willing to take that risk now.

They rode in silence and while Cassandra was perfectly fine with that, she knew that it meant heavy thoughts were weighing on Rapunzel’s mind and that bothered her more than silence ever could.

They passed a few peaceful farms with low wooden fences before the trees started to thicken and when the sun began to descend, they made camp well away from the main road and kept their fire small. Cassandra would keep watch tonight, just in case, and that gave her time to think.

The coast seemed to be as good a place as any. Yes, that sounded good. Head due west then follow the shoreline up north. They’d be in Malastyne in a fortnight at least...

“Cass...”

She turned and all thoughts of monuments and boat rides left her mind when she saw the expression on Rapunzel’s face. And in that moment she knew what the princess was going to say.

“I think it’s time we went back.”

Cassandra poked at the fire not out of necessity but rather because she didn't want to meet the princess's gaze and face the truth of her words. “Don’t let those amateurs scare you, Raps. They--”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just... I don’t know. I kind of feel guilty about not sending word back to Corona,” she finished softly. “Then to hear them call me the Lost Princess again, I just... I never wanted to do that to my parents. Not if I have a choice. I’ve been having so much fun that I never stopped to think how worried they must be.”

In the most somber shades of blue she could imagine, all Rapunzel could see were her parents looking out the window each and every night wondering if the light of the following day would bring their daughter home. There had been no letter, no messenger, not even the barest scraps of news on whispered lips to cross the bridge into the kingdom to ease their worries. The feeling of guilt in Rapunzel's heart grew and it almost made her sick. She knew what it was like not knowing if someone she cared about was alright, not hearing from her in years. How it left her wondering if she was even still alive...

And Rapunzel realized with a heavy heart that her parents didn't even know if their daughter was alright or if the horrible illness she set out to cure had consumed her.

“We can send them a letter,” Cassandra suggested. “Let them know you’re okay and--”

The look on Rapunzel’s face made her stop.

“Cass. We need to go home,” the princess said softly. “Besides, my birthday’s coming up and... the lanterns... and I really miss Pascal. I’ve never been away from him this long.”

“But we...” but the rest of the words stuck in Cassandra’s throat. She had known it was coming. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t keep Rapunzel out here with her forever. Eventually, the princess would have to return to her kingdom.

She just wished it hadn’t been so soon.

“If that’s what you want.”

It shouldn’t have felt like Rapunzel was choosing her old life over her new one but it sung to Cassandra in the same melody. It was a bitter, sorrowful song and for some reason it scared her with its unknown possibilities.

Rapunzel seemed to sense her thoughts and wrapped her fingers around her hand. “Things will be different now, Cass. You did what no one else could. You’ll be returning to Corona a hero.”

Cassandra could care less of what other people thought of her. Hero, villain, traitor... they were just words. The only opinion she ever cared about was that of the one sitting beside her.

“What are you going to tell them?” she asked.

“The truth,” Rapunzel confessed.

“And what’s the truth, Rapunzel?” Cassandra said it so softly yet it was too loud even in her own hears.

“Cass...” Rapunzel looked her in the eyes. “If this whole thing has taught me anything is that you and I were meant to be together. I’ll make them see that.”

They were pretty words. But even pretty words wrapped in promises could only go so far.

She understood Rapunzel's need to get everyone’s approval. She was the princess, after all. She had a duty to her people and her kingdom and the king and queen and her husband...

“And Eugene?” It was a question she hadn’t wanted to ask because she already knew what the answer would be.

“I’ll talk to him too.”

“You still love him.”

The hand that touched hers suddenly felt so heavy.

“I do, Cass, but it’s not the same.”

Oh how Cassandra wanted to believe that. It suddenly felt like a part of her was an exposed nerve waiting for that inevitable final blow, the emotions so raw it threatened to drown her.Rapunzel could hurt her if she wanted. It was frightening how easy it would be. A few words were all it would take to leave her on her knees, wounded, bleeding from a heart she had placed on her sleeve after a lifetime of hiding it inside a chest of armor.

All that time carefully building up those defenses only to have them now crumble under a touch, a look, a kiss...

“You know how I feel about you, Raps,” Cassandra said. “That will never change. Whatever you decide...”

The hand upon hers tightened, holding on to her like she could stop Cassandra from riding away on that thought.

“You’re not going anywhere, Cassandra,” Rapunzel said firmly. “Unless it’s with me.”

It wasn’t the words but rather the taste of her lips that made Cassandra believe her.


	4. Three Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra and Rapunzel return to Corona in time for her birthday celebration but past traditions suddenly take on new meaning as Cassandra is once again forced into the role of "friend"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Moment in the Gardens - “Plastic Bag Theme” by Thomas Newman  
> Lanterns - “Lullaby” by Shelby Merry

It didn’t start with the sight of recognizable landmarks or the familiar melody of birdsong that used to herald the dawn of a new day from her window but rather it was the smell in the air that changed every so slightly. Carried upon the wind was the subtle perfume of wild flowers flowing down from Mount Saison to the valley plains below and, of course, across the farm fields that lined the inner wall. There was no lingering earthiness of campfires nor the tinge of steel like she was used to, smells that reminder her of a new home. No, these were the smells of harmony, of a land at peace.

But to Cassandra the stark difference left her with mixed feelings.

Two very different versions of herself existed and while she was not the same person she had been when she left Corona all those years ago, that woman still existed somewhere inside her and it was her that whispered words like _Home_ into her soul.

Passing by one little off beaten path reminded Cassandra that only a few short months ago she was sitting behind those trees angrily kicking the dirt with her boot promising to disappear once she knew Rapunzel was safe. Had she only known...

Stars, how things had changed in such a short amount of time.

Perhaps she was meant to have a happily ever after after all. Things had worked out well, hadn’t they? Rapunzel was safe, the effects of the decay spell gone, and Cassandra... well, she realized there was more to herself than she ever knew. A destiny she thought was a curse had turned out to be Rapunzel’s saving grace and in the end that’s all that mattered.

And to have Rapunzel confess the very same feelings that woke Cassandra in the morning and lingered on her mind before she went to sleep at night seemed almost unreal.It was the impossible dream. That the princess had developed feelings for her...

But that warmth that filled her now was replaced by the cold realization that once they reached the castle walls, things would change. No, not change. They would go _back_. Back to the way things were. Back to those days when they were friends and nothing more. Back to when there were no such things as Lorekeepers and moonstone shards and chambers made of stars and... and...

"Cass, are you okay?"

Cassandra didn't realize what she had done to prompt such a question whether it was the expression on her face or the way she held the reigns just a bit too tightly.

"I'm fine." 

The princess cast her a curious glance but Cassandra kept her gaze straight ahead knowing full well those eyes were upon her.

If there was something bothering her, Rapunzel trusted that she would tell her so she didn't push and instead turned back to the road and breathed in the fresh air. It filled her lungs with its familiar scent and stirred memories inside her.

It was good to be home.

It didn’t seem like that long ago but everything Rapunzel thought she knew had turned completely upside down. There was so much she had experienced in such a short time and suddenly it felt like things went by much too fast. Traveling the well worn road back to Corona, back home, left her feeling excited yet apprehensive. So much had happened...

Would Pascal have gotten any bigger?

Would her father’s beard be just a bit longer and grayer?

Would Eugene...

The rest of the questions in her mind quieted and Rapunzel thought back to the last moment she had seen him. They left things on... difficult terms. He had been injured and taken back to Corona, all of which could have avoided had he not followed them in the first place.

On her father’s orders.

Because he didn’t trust Cassandra.

And just like that her warm feelings of returning home suddenly turned just a bit colder. Rapunzel’s grip on the reigns tightened and she formed a resolve as strong as any blade of steel. After all that had happened, she would make them see Cassandra differently, show them that she had more than proven herself. And if her father still didn’t rust her after that...

Well, the princess hoped she wouldn’t have to find out.

*****

Once they had crossed the bridge over the water to the island, there was a flutter of activity as the guards sent word throughout the castle that the princess had returned. Oh, it would have been easy to send Owl ahead with a message but there was nothing wrong with keeping the sentries on their toes, Cassandra smirked. Diligence was the name of game, after all. Besides, it just meant she had a few more moments alone with Rapunzel.

By the time they passed underneath the stone archway into the courtyard and dismounted, a retinue already awaited them, two standing out more prominently than the rest.

“Mom! Dad!”

Her parents embraced her and the smile that appeared on Rapunzel’s face lit up like a thousand lanterns. It cast away the chill in Cassandra’s heart left by the icy grip of worry and doubt and, for a moment, things felt like they'd be okay. The king and queen really did love their daughter and she in turn loved them no matter what misguided decisions were made in the past. But that was the thing about parents and their children; one was expected to guide and one was expected to grow and in a rare but beautiful harmony sometimes it worked both ways. While her parents educated Rapunzel on what it meant to be queen, she in turn had surprised them with her bravery and resolution and taught them valuable lessons in trust and hope whether it was defending Atilla for a wrongfully accused crime or bringing back a friend from the brink of darkness. It made Cassandra think that maybe, just maybe there was hope that Rapunzel could teach her parents one last lesson. One about friendship between two people that turned into something more.

So as she watched them embrace, Cassandra smiled and knew nothing could ruin that moment...

“Sunshine!”

Except him.

With a slightly awkward limp, Eugene made his way quickly down the castle steps. His captain’s uniform was immaculate and pressed perfectly across his shoulders, not a wrinkle to be seen or a stitch out of place. It fit him well and he wore it with an air of purpose and pride, if not with a bit of pomposity.

It seemed that his leg had almost completely healed or at least healed to the point where he could walk without pain. The limp was a bit troubling but would most likely fade over time as the muscles and ligaments grew stronger. He had taken a serious blow but still, it was nice to see him on his feet again.

Eugene gathered Rapunzel in his arms, lifting her into the air and spinning her around. She laughed and when he put her down he held her close and Rapunzel returned the embrace.

In the back of her mind, Cassandra knew the reunion was inevitable but knowing still didn’t prepare her for the feelings it stirred within her. It reminded her of all the times she had to bite her tongue and pull her hand away from Rapunzel’s face because such a gesture was too intimate. Watching her and Eugene together now made it seem like the past few months never existed.

But a moment later they pulled apart and when Eugene leaned in to kiss her, Rapunzel bowed her head slightly to the side and caught his lips on her forehead.

And something within Cassandra flared.

The shard around Rapunzel’s neck flickered and caught Eugene’s eye.

“Is that the...?” he began but knew no answer was necessary. “That thing is dangerous. Why do you still have it?”

Rapunzel grasped the moonstone shard and held it tenderly. “We have a _lot_ to talk about,” she said with a weary smile then glanced back at Cassandra.

In all honesty, Cassandra much preferred Eugene’s attention on her than the princess so when he turned, she rested her hands on her hips and gave him a glower that would scare the creatures of even his darkest nightmares.

“ _Eesh_! I see you haven’t changed much, Cassandra,” Eugene said cringing under her stare. “Dangerous and intimidating as always.”

Her lips curled into a smile so sharp it rivaled that of the edge of her sword. “Dangerous and intimidating is what got us through contested lands, Fitzherbert.”

“I’m sure with a glower like that, all the creatures of the night simply ran in the opposite direction,” he teased. Then, in all seriousness, he added in a solemn voice, “But really, Cass, thank you for helping Rapunzel and bringing her back to us safely.”

The tenderness in his voice made her slightly uneasy, that and the combination of words he used... it made it sound like her job was done and she her assistance was no longer required.

“I promised I would,” she replied after a moment.

There was was a trill and from upon Eugene’s shoulder Pascal hopped up and down excitedly.

“Pascal! Oh, I missed you so much,” Rapunzel said as he jumped into her waiting hands. She brought her cheek to his face and gave him a warm hug.

“Well, if anything ever comes out of a long journey it’s a good story,” Eugene proclaimed. “And I for one would love to hear all about it.”

With her arm in his, he guided her up the stairs after the king and queen...

Leaving Cassandra alone in the courtyard. 

It was a feeling she knew well. Watching Rapunzel slowly being pulled away from her tasted much more bitter than she remembered but the meaning was clear. Now that the king and queen had their daughter back and Eugene his love, Cassandra was so easily forgotten.

She had done her job.

Now she was dismissed.

Her fingers started to curl into a fist but she stopped herself. What was she going to do? Make a scene right here outside the castle? Declare her love for Rapunzel in front of the entire palace?

Thankfully, she didn’t have to find out.

The princess suddenly turned around and held out her hand to Cassandra and asked with a smile, “Cass, are you coming?”

That smile... it calmed the fire in her heart and chased away the fear from her chest. Tentatively, she grasped Rapunzel’s hand and walked with her up the steps.

*****

In honor of the princess’s sudden return, a large meal was prepared for the royal family. Though it was not quite feast proportions, there was really no need for such extravagance.With her birthday celebration right around the corner, there would be a more than enough food the following day and plenty of guests to share it with.

This simple family gathering was a celebration of a successful journey, a time to reminisce and tell tales of the road in a lighthearted manner while in the company of loved ones.

It’s too bad that’s not what happened.

They sat in ceremonial silence, the king and queen at one end of the table backs straight and formal even in what should have been a relaxed setting, with Rapunzel to the king’s right and Eugene beside her with a very disgruntled Cassandra who was picking distractedly at her food on the other side.

It was painfully obvious Cass wasn’t having as much fun as the princess who watched her barely touch her food with her gaze lowered. For someone who usually stayed very aware of her surroundings, it seemed like she was trying very hard to pretend to be somewhere else.

“... Must’ve had quite the adventure,” her father was saying.

“Yeah, it was... something,” Rapunzel replied. Not the most eloquent choice of words but she wasn’t sure what else to say. How could she even begin to describe the quest? That it was harrowing? Treacherous? The last thing the princess wanted to do was scare her parents with how close they had been to losing their daughter yet some part of her knew she would have to tell them eventually.

“Nothing too dangerous, we hope?” her mother added.

A nervous smile painted itself upon Rapunzel’s face. “Nothing we couldn’t handle.”

“So did you meet the Lorekeeper? What’s he like? Wait, let me guess...” Eugene said closing his eyes and pinching his fingers against his forehead. “Old guy with a long white beard, maybe a pointy hat?”

Rapunzel chuckled. “I mean, he didn’t have a hat but I suppose he could have misplaced it somewhere.”

Eugene put a finger upon the table and tapped it several times. “See that’s the thing about wizards, they all copy the same ‘wizard persona’. Just for once I’d like to meet one who was clean shaven and dressed in wild colors. Maybe a sash for flair. And a coat with lots of buttons. With a flat hat. There’s no reason for hats to be pointy.”

“Pointy hats aside, we’re glad you made it home safely, dear,” the queen interjected with a smile.

“We all are,” Eugene added placing a hand on Rapunzel’s. “And hey, the fact that nobody ended up with an arrow to the face must mean that passing through all those supposedly dangerous territory was a walk in the park...”

The easy manner in which he said it startled the princess.

“I wouldn’t say that...” she began.

“Aw, come one, Rapunzel. It couldn’t have been that bad...”

“And here I thought you had the naiveté knocked out of you when you took that blow to the knee in Vardaros,” Cassandra said raising an eyebrow in his direction. Then with a dangerous smile added, “And that was only the first leg of the journey. Pun intended.”

“Ah ha, hahaha,” Eugene replied mirthlessly. “That’s so funny I forgot to laugh. Need I remind you I was _slightly_ outnumbered and only did it because you needed rescuing.”

Cassandra narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, you _rescued_ us from a perfect plan that was under control until you _ruined_ the whole thing.”

“Guys, come on...” the princess said but her words were already being ignored.

“It’s not _my_ fault it looked like you were dead!” Eugene countered throwing up his hands. “If you didn’t want me to help, you should have looked more alive.”

A noise of frustration escaped Cassandra’s chest. “The whole point was to _make the bad guys think I was dead_ , you moron!”

“Oh now _I’m_ the moron? That’s the last time I save your life!”

“Good! Because if you had just stayed out of it the first time then--”

“HEY!”

The word cut through the air like a whip and everyone turned towards the princess. With a very forced smile, she lightly touched the table.“How about we talk about something else, hm? We can discuss the journey some other time.”

Eugene shrugged like it didn’t bother him in the least. “Suit yourself. I don’t know why _some people_ are so cranky about it anyway. Besides, everyone came back in one piece, right? I mean, sure, Cass’s got a few new scratches but I’m sure things--”

There was a clatter of silverware as Cassandra slammed both hands on top of the table. “ _What_ did you say?”

“Guys...” Rapunzel began.

Cassandra stared hard at Eugene and with an icily even voice said, “ _Scratches_ don’t ache in the middle of the night when you’re trying to sleep. They don’t make you wake up in a cold sweat with a scream on your lips. They don’t...”

She paused, the air suddenly thick with the weight of her words and she realized all eyes were upon her, especially those of the king and queen.

“Excuse me,” she said and rose from her seat in one swift motion. In the next she was already out the door.

“I’ll, uh... be right back,” Rapunzel said and placed her napkin on the table before rushing after her.

_Of all the infuriating..._

It was maddening and frankly Cassandra was surprised at her own self control. Under normal circumstances she wouldn’t hesitate to rip Eugene a new breathing hole or any other hole for that matter. Their friendly banter had always been a source of amusement for her but this... _this..._

“Cass. _Cass_!” Rapunzel grabbed her arm and finally she stopped. “Wait, please. I’m sorry. He didn’t know.”

Cassandra scoffed and curled her lip upwards in a sour grimace. “Don’t apologize for his ignorance.” She turned to go but the princess held on and refused to let her walk away.

“Hey, I can tell there’s something else. What’s wrong?”

It was troubling how easy Rapunzel could read her. She used to be so good at disguising her feelings but now...

Returning to Corona... it did things to her. Being thrown back behind the castle walls suddenly made her the best friend again and nothing more. It was like everything that had happened between them... had simply never happened at all.

And that was precisely the problem.

And because Cassandra didn’t know what else to do, she fell back into old habits.

“Nothing. It’s just... being back here, is all. Moonstone memories,” she said, waving it away. “I’ll get over it. It hasn’t even been a full day yet. I’m just... overwhelmed. A full night’s sleep and I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Rapunzel asked.

Those eyes... the way Rapunzel looked at her almost made Cassandra want to tell her the truth.

Almost.

She began to lift her arm then stopped like she had been about to touch fire. There was nothing in the world she wanted more than to place a hand on Rapunzel’s cheek and feel the softness of her skin but she couldn’t.

Not anymore.

She wasn’t the one who had kissed the princess amongst the stars, the one who spent months traveling with sharing moments both adventurous and intimate. As soon as she had walked through those gates all those memories were as good as forgotten.

And Cassandra knew she couldn’t do this. Not again.

She placed her hand on Rapunzel’s shoulder instead. “I’m sure,” she replied.

*****

There was chaos within the castle. Nobody had known the princess was on her way home so when they received word the day before they suddenly had a party to plan. With last minute preparations to attend to, the castle staff rushed about trying to get everything ready on time. Tables were hastily brought in, the decorators perched precariously on tall ladders to attend to the banners, and the kitchen staff instantly had to find enough food for an army of guests. Not to mention the actual cooking, the cleaning, sending out invitations that weren’t even _made_ yet...

It was a feeling Cassandra knew well and she couldn’t help but empathize with them, those who labored so hard but were ultimately at the mercy of the whims of the royal family. It was such a simple thing to request a party but to make it happen took more time and energy than the king realized. It was something that had always grated on Cassandra nerves.

But the staff were diligent folk who took pride in their work so that when night finally fell everything was ready.

With nothing to her name but a traveling tunic, a leather jacket, cloak, and a yet-to-be-patched shirt, Cassandra knew she would be a bit... well, _underdressed_ for the occasion. Yet when she mentioned as much to Rapunzel, the princess took her by the hand and guided her up to her room determined to find the perfect outfit for the evening's festivities.

“How about this one?” the princess asked pulling out a flowing burgundy gown with beautiful beading on the bodice. She held it up to Cassandra who looked at herself in the mirror and with one look at the skinny sleeves and modest waist she burst into laughter.

“I don’t think we’re the same size anymore, Raps,” Cassandra confessed. Even Pascal shook his head and stuck out his tongue.

“Ah, I think you’re right.” The princess pursed her lips in thought for a moment. Heather was far too small for anything of hers to fit and she doubted her mother had anything that would suffice. But perhaps...

“Wait here just moment!” Rapunzel said then rushed out of the room.

There was a inquisitive trill from the table and Cassandra raised an eyebrow. “I have no idea what she’s up to, Pascal. But knowing her, it’s probably going to be a creative solution that I’m not going to like.”

Rapunzel returned moment later holding something behind her back.

“Close your eyes,” she said with a giant grin, her excitement palpable.

As much as Cassandra hated surprises, she sighed and with extreme reluctance did as the princess asked. There was a slight rustle of fabric and she felt something being held up in front of her.

“Okay, open them!”

What Cassandra saw in the mirror was not what she had expected. Before her was a dark purple coat of a shade that looked almost blue studded with golden buttons and braids of military rank. Stiff but modest epaulets capped the shoulders and lines of gold trailed down the stitching in the front creating a cascading effect that sparkled when it caught the light.

“What... is this?” Cassandra asked curiously.

“It’s one of Eugene’s dress uniforms,” Rapunzel explained. “He’s never worn it and I doubt he’s even seen it. But you’re slightly shorter than him and about the same build in the shoulders so it should fit. What do you think?”

With the jacket pressed against her chest, Cassandra turned her head slightly to the side. She could do worse.

“I guess we don’t have too many other options,” she said taking it from her hand. It would work but Cassandra wasn’t going to admit that the thought of wearing a uniform of Corona made her feel... conflicted.

After a few brief moments behind the dressing curtain, she stepped out and Rapunzel’s heart skipped a beat. The midnight hued jacket fit perfectly and complimented her dark hair and the golden buttons and stitching looked absolutely stunning. The light colored pants were ironed to perfection, not a wrinkle to be seen and the high boots polished with to a militaristic shine.

Cassandra ran a hand down the front of the jacket to straighten it out but the gesture was unnecessary. She was just nervous.

Rapunzel took a few steps forward and placed a hand on her chest and smiled.

“What?” Cassandra asked.

“You look like a prince,” she whispered, her gaze drifting from Cassandra’s eyes to her lips. With a slight tilt of her head, she raised her chin just as Cassandra was drawn in to her magnetic pull...

A knock on the door startled them both and Cassandra quickly pulled away.

“Princess?” Heather called meekly through the door. “It’s time to get ready.”

Heaving a sigh on relief, Rapunzel answered, “Thank you, Heather. Give me just a moment.” She turned back to Cassandra and brushed her shoulders and pulled down on her jacket.

“You look great,” she said with a smile.

“I don’t know if this is such a good idea...” Cassandra confessed.

“It’s just for one night. Besides, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you in uniform.”

One look at the princess and Cassandra knew it was a feeling she couldn’t ignore. Oh, the things that smile did to her.

“Alright. I’ll see you in an hour.”

Rapunzel’s touch on her arm lingered for just a moment then Cassandra walked through the doors and made her way downstairs.

By the time she walked into the throne room, the party was already in full swing. The tables were immaculately set and covered with floral decorations of all kind sitting gracefully in vases while streamers hung alongside the banners from the rafters in the purple and gold of the royal crest looking for all the world like sunbeams descending to the ground.

Guests had already started to clutter the hall and a quartet played music softly in the corner of the room adding a beautiful backdrop for the myriad of conversations taking place. Most were dressed in royal attire and others simply their finest tunics.

As the hall filled with more people Cassandra glanced around nervously. Most she recognized, some she didn’t but just looking at the sea of smiling faces and hearing laughter fill the air almost made her forget her worry.

Yet out of instinct, she made her way to the outskirts of the crowd and watched. This many people in one place made her nervous and she suddenly realized that she hadn’t always felt that way. No, this particular feeling had grown out of self preservation, a defense tactic developed for a much more dangerous world outside the castle walls.

Even being back in Corona did little to ease those concerns, that persistent feeling of needing to keep her guard up. It would always be there, Cassandra realized and though she was weary of always being on the defensive, she knew it would continue to keep her alive.

But back when she had lived here, there had been no need for such things. The only danger she had to contend with were the pub thugs leaving mud on the carpet and making sure no more of Eugene’s friends made off with a pants-full of royal silverware.

“Cass, you don’t have to hide in the corner.”

Amid the myriad of sounds in the room, Cassandra had still heard Rapunzel approach. All of her senses were working overtime in such a noisy environment and Cassandra just couldn’t help but feel tired. She wanted nothing more than to just go somewhere quiet and relax.

“I’m not hiding I’m just... not much for mingling,” Cassandra replied with her arms crossed.

“But these are your friends too. They all missed you. You should go say hi.”

Somehow Cassandra doubted that. A quick survey of the room revealed that she knew perhaps only a handful of people in attendance and was able to place a few names with the faces... Feldspar, Xavier, Old lady Crowley, and there was Lance with his two adopted daughters whose names Cassandra didn’t know. A handful of people in uniform she didn’t recognize. A few new servants.

Ah, there was Heather flittering about. The lady-in-waiting turned and caught Cassandra’s eyes on her and her face went pale. She turned quickly and disappeared into the crowd and Cassandra couldn’t help but smile. Sometimes she just had a strong impression on people.

She knew what Rapunzel was trying to do but for some reason Cassandra just couldn’t shake the feeling that she still didn’t belong there. With her self-imposed exile behind her, however, she knew she had more than made up for her past mistakes. Why then did she still feel this way?

“I’m not really the ‘happy reunion feels’ type of person,” she said stubbornly.

Rapunzel threaded her arm through hers and gave her a sly smile. “You could have fooled me.”

Something tugged at Cassandra and she cleared her throat. There were too many people watching.

“I’d much rather spend my time with just one person,” she said quietly.

“I know, Cass. Me too,” Rapunzel said and squeezed her arm gently. “But my parents are expecting me to talk with the guests. Come find me later, okay?” And with that, the princess slipped away and called over her shoulder before disappearing back into the crowd, “Try to mingle!”

“I don’t _mingle_ ,” Cassandra huffed knowing the princess couldn’t hear her.

In truth, there weren't too many people she wanted to see or, rather, people she assumed would want to see her. Out of everyone in Corona, there was only one other besides Rapunzel who could change that and he was probably...

“Cassandra?”

It was a voice she recognized instantly and echoed her very thoughts and she turned.

“Dad...”

“My dear sweet baby girl,” the former captain said with arms held wide. It started as two uncertain steps before Cassandra practically fell into his embrace and buried her face into his shoulder.

It had been so long...

Something welled up inside her and tears began to gather under her lashes. In his arms, she suddenly felt like a child again, so small in his embrace.

Like it was just yesterday that she had cried out in the middle of the night knowing for certain there were monsters under her bed. She had been so scared of the dark back then, jumping at even the slightest of shadows. She held on to her father in exactly the same way as she had back then with her arms around his neck, her face buried in his shoulder. The memory was so real that Cassandra could almost feel the tears streaming down her face and her frightened sobs that seemed so large for a child so small. So trapped in a fantasy of irrational fear was she that the only thing that brought her back was her father letting her wrap her tiny hands around the hilt of his sword. She had stopped crying then, the feeling of the leather grip felt comforting for a reason she didn't understand. With it, those creatures under her bed suddenly didn't seem so scary.

 _“Swords don’t defeat monsters, Cassandra,”_ she remembered her father telling her.

 _“But swords make you stronger,”_ she had replied.

 _“Everything you need is in here,”_ he answered placing a gentle hand above her heart.

As the memory faded Cassandra’s hands clutched the back of his tunic just a bit tighter.

“I missed you, dad,” she whispered forcing back the tears that threatened to escape.

“I missed you too, sweetheart.”

It was several moments before they parted and when they did, he put his hands on her shoulders and finally got a good look at her. “By the stars, what happened to you?”

She couldn’t have guessed what she must have looked like to him. When he had last seen her two years ago, she had been eager to find her path and her soul had been filled with a fresh sense of freedom with the promise of exploration on the horizon and an excitement for unknown adventures.

She had left with a smile and returned with a face full of scars.

“It’s a long story,” she replied softly.

He put an arm around her shoulders. “I want to hear all about it.”

Amidst the crowd of familiar and unfamiliar faces, Eugene was still able to spot Rapunzel from across the room. She was always the light in the center of things and all he had to do was follow her glow. He approached her from the side and gently grabbed her hand. When she turned, there was a smile on her face which then turned to a warm expression of surprise and for some reason he thought that smile wasn’t meant for him.

“Oh, Eugene!”

“Hey, I’ve been looking for you all evening,” he said, lifting his hand to tuck a rogue lock of hair behind her ear. The princess blushed and Eugene moved closer until their lips met in the briefest of kisses.

Eugene wished it had lasted a bit longer, the first contact he’d had with her in months was much too quick. It felt like something was different but, well... they had been away from each other for so long. No matter, they would find their rhythm again even if it took a bit of time.

“Hey, you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just... a bit lost in thought,” Rapunzel replied with a smile.

“I can imagine. Being back here must be pretty overwhelming. How about we go for a walk, get some fresh air?”

“Maybe later,” the princess replied quietly. “I’ve still got some guests to meet and old friends to say hi to...”

“Suit yourself. Come find me later, okay? I’ve got a surprise for you.”

“I will.”

As Rapunzel watched him go, she pressed her lips together, the feeling of their kiss lingering. She had missed it, the sensation upon her mouth that was welcome and familiar but it lacked... something. Their expressions of love had always been chaste but she had loved him all the same and that’s what she had thought love felt like.

But things felt much different with Cass. There was something... more. A spark of something that just felt so right. The first time Cassandra had kissed her was so intense Rapunzel had never felt anything like it before. It was an experience she hadn’t known she was missing. It tore away everything she thought she knew and replaced it with something new and exciting.

But as much as loved that intimacy with Cassandra, she still felt something for Eugene. It was a different kind of love but it was love nonetheless... and that made things much more complicated.

A heaviness suddenly settled over her heart. She _had_ to tell him. She was _going_ to tell him. She was. It’s just... she didn’t know how she was going to explain everything. The love she felt for Cassandra was real but the love she felt for Eugene was still there, it was just a different kind of love.

The room suddenly became too warm, the walls too close...

Rapunzel quickly excused herself and made her way outside.

“Ingvarr, huh?” her father said and stroked his beard. It was speckled with a bit of grey now and for some reason he looked so much older to Cassandra than he had two short years ago. But perhaps parents always looked that way to their children no matter how long they’ve been away from home.

“I shouldn’t be surprised. You always had that fighting spirit.” He was quiet a moment then he asked, “Have you taken the oath yet?”

Cassandra looked at him in surprise. Not many people knew much about Ingvarri culture and this one was such a minor detail that she wondered where he learned of it from.

“I have,” she replied. “No longer ‘Cassandra of Corona,’ just ‘Cassandra _rhan yr_ _Ingvarr_ ’.”

It was a decision she hadn’t taken lightly, to give up calling Corona her home to become a citizen of Ingvarr. But once she had taken the oath and Inga had proclaimed her _rhan yr Ingvarr_ , daughter of Ingvarr, it just felt... right.

“I really thought that when you came back, you’d try out for the guard and follow in your old man’s footsteps,” her father said with a bit of a sad smile. “But I guess that’s not possible now.”

“I trained my entire life to be in the guard but it was never meant to happen,” Cassandra replied. She thought back to all the minor assignments her father had given her... letting her have a taste of what it felt like to hold authority but always keeping her out of harms way at the same time. With him as captain, she realized she never would have had a chance to prove herself and now with Eugene in that role... Just the thought destroyed what good mood she had left.

She suppose she could take the title from him, prove that she was much more qualified given her particular set of skills, but she didn’t want to. Being Captain of the Guard gave Eugene a purpose he so sorely needed in life while Cassandra... well, she found a different calling.

“I suppose it doesn’t matter now,” her father said. “Things change and people do too. I just want you to know that I’m so proud of you, Cassandra.”

“Thanks, dad.”

Her gaze wandered to the hands and she fidgeted with them for just a moment. There was so much more she wanted to tell him.... the quest, the moonstone, her destiny...

But now was not the time. 

“How long are you going to be in Corona?” he asked starling her out of her reverie.

“Oh, I’m, uh... not sure actually,” she replied. This was their second night back after all and Rapunzel had yet to talk with her parents. But if the indirect dismissal at the gate was any indication, her welcome was most likely already nearing its end. “Probably not too long.”

“Well then, sweetheart, know that no matter what happens, you always have a home here with me.”

His words wrapped around her like a warm blanket and she once again fell into his arms. Even after all that had happened, Cassandra had forgotten that she still had family here within these walls and no amount of distance would ever make her forget that ever again.

*****

The festivities would have been draining for any normal person and Rapunzel was no exception. Seeing her family and friends again after long months of traveling left her feeling rejuvenated yet tired. Happy yet melancholy. It was a complex mix of emotions she was unprepared for so when she stepped out into the gardens, the crisp air felt refreshing on her face. Something about being outdoors always made her feel better. There were no walls out here to stop the breeze from flowing, no ceiling to block her view of the stars. She inhaled deeply and the familiar scent of home once again lifted her spirits if only for a moment.

A soft light cast her skin in a beautiful blue hue and Rapunzel wrapped her fingers around the shard resting above her chest.

“I thought I’d find you out here.”

The princess smiled. “And I knew you’d find me.” She stared up at the moon so bright in the sky and felt Cassandra behind her. She was so close yet she didn’t touch Rapunzel and all the princess wanted in that moment was to feel those hands on her hips. Then she would turn and put her arms around Cassandra’s neck, bring her close, feel her lips against hers...

“You okay?” Cassandra asked.

“Yeah, just... trying to clear my head,” Rapunzel said as those wonderfully distracting thoughts slowly slipping from her mind. “I’m going to talk to them tomorrow. And Eugene.”

Cassandra didn’t envy her that task. “Do you want me to come with you?”

Rapunzel gently shook her head. “No, it’s okay.” She leaned back into Cassandra just a bit and wanted nothing more than those strong arms wrap around her stomach.

“I’m going to have my father grant you amnesty,” she said suddenly and could feel Cassandra stiffen in shock.

“Raps, it’s okay. You don’t hav--”

The princess turned suddenly and put a gentle hand on her chest and Cassandra’s face suddenly grew very warm.

Rapunzel looked up into her eyes and said softly, “It’s important to me that you feel welcomed within these walls, Cass. No more pretending. No more hiding. No more feeling like you don’t belong.”

Cassandra couldn’t help but smile. The princess wanted so much for her, more than Cassandra even wanted for herself. But that was just the type of person she was. For her to feel welcome within her own home meant so much to the princess that it filled Cassandra’s heart.

She placed a hand over Rapunzel’s and saw her eyes drop to her lips and...

“Rapunzel!”

The suddenness with which Cassandra pulled away was startling and Rapunzel couldn't help but notice how cold it left her feeling afterwards.

A moment later Eugene sauntered around the corner with a giant grin on his face. “There you are! Ah, and with darkness herself, I see. No wonder I couldn’t find you,” he teased, though it seemed that after the dinner he was a little bit more careful with his barbs, his jokes a little less sharp than they once had been.

He walked over and grabbed Rapunzel’s hands. “Hey, it’s almost time.”

“Time?” the princess asked.

“For our traditional trip to to the docks...” he finished raising a questioning brow. “Come on, you haven’t been away for that long to have forgotten.”

“Oh! Of course not! I--” Rapunzel spared a glance at Cassandra who had turned to look out into the gardens, her eyes lowered and seemingly staring at nothing. In that moment, Rapunzel couldn’t help but wonder where she had drifted off to.

“Well come on then or else we’ll miss them releasing the lanterns!” Eugene chuckled and with her hand in his he gently guided her away.

Try as Rapunzel might, there was no excuse strong enough to break that grasp and, in a strange way, she didn’t want to. The tradition her and Eugene had made together was one of her most dearest memories, one she looked forward to every year. But being reminded of it only stirred something deeper within her.

During that one magnificent night in the Forest of Light Rapunzel had dreamed about floating lanterns that danced in the air like the glowing fireflies she had seen but within that boat upon the water it hadn’t been Eugene across from her.

It had been Cassandra.

So as Eugene led her away, Rapunzel looked back at her standing silently off to the side, so easily forgotten, so quickly cast away.

The best friend and nothing more.

And without a word Cassandra let her go.

*****

Everything had been prepared ahead of time; the boat, the lanterns inside of them waiting to be lit, even the basketful of cupcakes. It seems that as soon as Eugene had heard of her return, he wasted not a single moment, maybe even shirked a few duties or two but that was one of the perks of being Captain. Some may call it “delegation” but Eugene preferred to think of it as “a free afternoon.”

As the oars dipped gently into the inky black water they floated gently to the spot, _their_ spot, and waited. Rapunzel gazed upon the water that was so dark it almost looked like they were floating upon a sea of stars and it reminded her so much of the Chamber of Celestials. It too had been filled with stars. Such a beautiful place. And such beautiful memories were made...

“ _Rapunzel_ ,” Eugene called for the third time.

“Hm? Oh, sorry,” the princess said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Hey, you seem a bit... distant lately. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I don’t know. You’ve just had this look in your eyes the entire time like you’d rather be somewhere else." He paused and looked at her with concern in his eyes. "Did something happen out there? You can tell me.”

It was nerves that made Rapunzel reach up to tuck the strand of hair behind her ear before she realized she had already done so moments before. That and she just needed the extra time to think.

“I know we really haven’t had a chance to talk about it much but the whole trip was... life changing,” she said.

Eugene lifted her hands from her lap and held them in his own. “Listen, I know you just got back and that we’ve still got some things to work out but you can still talk to me. But with the whole moonstone shard thing... you had us all really scared there for a moment. I know you’re probably not the same person you when you left and it must have been terrifying and it absolutely kills me to I wasn’t able to be there with you, but the important thing is that you’re here now and you’re safe.”

His touch felt so warm and reassuring just like his words.

What Rapunzel wanted to say... it was difficult to describe and she just didn’t know where to begin.

“Eugene, what kind of future do you want to have?” she asked suddenly.

It was a question Eugene was unprepared and he took a moment to gather his thoughts. “To be here in Corona with you. Raising a family here. Growing old here. Why?”

“Are you happy here?”

“What? Of course I am. I’ve got a good job. I’m surrounded by people who love me or at least tolerate me to some extent. And most of all, you’re here. Things are perfect.”

But the way she looked away told him she felt different.

“See, when I think about the future I imagine something different. A life not defined by walls or borders,” Rapunzel said.

“Soooo... you want to take a trip somewhere?” Eugene asked uncertainly. “Yeah, sure. We can do that. Where do you want to go?”

Rapunzel shook her head and she got the distinct feeling she was explaining things all wrong. “No, not like that. Not just a trip. I want to go out there. I want to _be_ out there,” she replied, her words coming out faster with every sentence. With a giant sigh she calmed herself and started again. “There’s so much I haven’t seen yet.”

“It sounds like your trip left you with a bit of wanderlust,” Eugene said with a small laugh and gently lifted her chin to look into her eyes. “Sunshine, I get it. I really do. I went through the same thing growing up and I’ve been out there. This,” he waved a hand at the castle, “this is as good as it gets. Trust me. Sleeping on the ground under the stars seems great and all but in the morning you’re sore and cranky and wish you hadn’t used that patch of moss as a pillow because its slimier than it looks and it really messes with your hair.”

He smiled at her and Rapunzel forced a small chuckle. It was obvious what he was trying to do but it didn’t change the fact that what she wanted and what he wanted were two different things. Were she to ask him to, she knew Eugene would change his mind in a heartbeat. He loved her that much. But that’s not what she wanted for him.

And the world became a slightly more confusing place.

Rapunzel looked into his eyes and opened her mouth and...

Suddenly the world around them began to glow and she turned. The first lantern floated into the sky and was quickly followed by countless more as it lit up the night sky with their brilliance. It was a sight that always took her breath and her unsaid words away. The air currents pushed them over the water and as some dipped and other rose the lights began to spread out until they were completely surrounded.

From behind him, Eugene pulled out the two lanterns he had saved and handed one to Rapunzel. The flames lit quickly and with gentle hands they eased them into the sky and joined the others like so many stars. As Rapunzel sat in the boat floating amongst the lights with Eugene’s hand on hers, it seemed almost perfect.

Almost.

From atop the bridge that connected the island with the mainland, Cassandra stared down at the tiny boat and watched everything she loved drift away before her eyes.

If only she had been the one to find Rapunzel in that tower...

With her gloved hand, she ran her thumb along the sun and moon tattoo on the inside of her left wrist. When she first got it, she did it knowing full well that her feelings for Rapunzel would never be acted upon, those words she so desperately wanted to say would forever remain upon her lips unspoken. She knew that who she loved would never love her back but still... she wanted the mark upon her skin to remember that it was painful to love, yes, but better never to have loved at all.

It seemed now she needed that reminder most of all.

With one final look at the speck of a boat amongst the many amber lights, Cassandra walked away.

*****

Once they had returned to the castle, Eugene walked Rapunzel up to her room and wished her a goodnight. It was only when the sound of his boots receded down the hall did she open the door and slip away. She was thankful at least that her father hadn’t stationed any more guards at her room. Small miracles, at least.

The servants quarters were not far and it wasn’t too late in the evening; some of the staff were just finishing up for the day so it wouldn’t be too outrageous if someone saw her. It wasn’t like she was breaking any rules or anything. But still Rapunzel did her best not to be noticed.

She made it to Cassandra’s room and knocked. When no response came, she pushed open the door and was sad to find that it was empty.

Where could Cass be this time of night?

It was a silly question with a simple answer.

Cass would be doing what she normally does.

The sweet night air kissed Rapunzel’s face and the grass tickled her feet as she made he way to the other side of the courtyard where the guard’s training grounds lay. Sure enough, there was Cassandra with her trusty blades drawn moving across the space fighting a battle against invisible foes. In a fleeting thought Rapunzel wondered who she saw when she practiced like this. Did her enemies have faces or were they just unknown specters? Were they enemies she had already defeated? Or were they shadows of threats that had yet to appear in her life?

She watched her for long moments and for some reason Rapunzel knew she didn’t have to say a word.

Cassandra already knew she was there.

After rising from a low position, she reversed the grip on her long knife and thrust it in front of her, her elbow poised at a sharp angle, the back edge of her blade against her forearm.

A strike to the neck, Rapunzel recognized.

A killing blow.

And just like that the princess knew Cassandra was upset.

The weapons slowly lowered and found their sheathes with a soft hiss of leather and steel.

“It’s getting late. I thought you’d be in bed by now,” Cassandra said, her back still turned.

“I wanted to find you first,” the princess said. “I know something’s bothering you. Ever since we came back, you’ve been acting different. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Cass.”

“It’s stupid.”

“ _Cassandra.”_

She had heard that tone before. It’s the one that forced her to turn and look at the princess. But there was no anger there. It was the tone of concern, just firm enough to let Cassandra know she was serious.

“Please,” Rapunzel said taking a step towards her. “What is it?”

In a way that was so familiar now, the princess saw her clench her jaw like she was biting back words so she placed a hand on her arm letting her know it was okay, that she didn’t have to hold back anymore.

And it was that touch, that warm, gentle touch, that had broken down so many of her painfully crafted walls.

“Everything is wrong!” Cassandra suddenly blurted out. “I can’t just... _pretend_ anymore, Raps. After all this time, I was fine keeping all these feelings stuffed inside these tiny boxes and shoving them deep down but now... you opened them. All of them. And I just... I can’t put those feelings back and just trying to hide them is just so...” She let out a frustrated noise and threw up her hands.

“Cass, I--”

“It’s like none of this ever happened,” Cassandra interrupted desperately. “The shard, the Lorekeeper, everything in between... everything after...”

All those moments they had, they suddenly seemed like nothing more than a dream. Back here within the walls of the castle those precious few months were so easily erased. The princess, the daughter, the wife, had suddenly returned and things were back to normal and Cassandra...

Cassandra was once again the one on the outside looking in. The best friend and nothing more.

Rapunzel grabbed her hands and held them tightly. “Cass, I’m sorry this is causing you so much pain. I never wanted you to feel like you were being pushed aside. Things are going to be different. I _promise_. Once I talk with my parents, I’ll make them understand and...”

The way that Cassandra looked away broke Rapunzel’s heart.

“Raps, I trust you. You know that. But I don’t think some things are ever going to change.”

And Cassandra was left wondering what would happen next.

Would she remain here in the castle and tiptoe around guards to sneak Rapunzel a kiss before bed and only get to hold her hand around corners when no one was looking? Thoughts of leaving again suddenly became unbearable and Cassandra knew her traitorous heart would never allow it.

Not after all they’ve been through.

A familiar touch upon her face startled her. Here within the castle where anyone could be watching, Rapunzel had dared to bring a hand to her cheek.

“We’ll figure something out,” the princess said with a smile. The way she curled her lips... Cassandra couldn’t help but look at them and as soon as she did she lowered her gaze.

“I can’t even kiss you,” she whispered.

Rapunzel could feel the weight of the words in the air and the truth of them slowly tore her apart inside. Suddenly she missed those moments when it was just the two of them. Things were so much more carefree, easy, fun, intimate...

With a gentle hand Rapunzel turned Cassandra’s face towards her and leaned in close.

“What are you doing?” Cassandra whispered.

“What I’ve wanted to do all night,” Rapunzel said, her eyes drifting longingly at Cassandra’s lips. Even in a situation such as this where anyone could walk by and see them, it was a pull Cassandra couldn’t resist. She leaned down and slowly brushed her fingers across Rapunzel’s skin before closing her mouth around hers. The princess dipped her chin in a rhythm Cassandra knew so well now. She matched the rise and fall of her jaw and knew by the touch on her cheek when to slow down.

When their lips parted Rapunzel gazed up at her and smiled. The moonstone shard around her neck pulsed and a spark of blue flashed in Cassandra’s eyes.

How she loved when that happened.

“I don’t want you to ever feel like you have to hide your feelings, Cass. I’ll talk to them and I’ll make them see how wonderful you are.”

She touched their foreheads together and closed her eyes just as the glow of the moonstone shard began to fade.

But while the light chased away the darkness between them, it also illuminated them to the shadows that were watching. One shadow in particular who had lingered just long enough to see the kiss before quickly moving away.


	5. Unforgiving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel finally talks with her parents and Eugene

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel Talks With Eugene - “Separated by the Storm” by Gareth Coker

Rapunzel would have thought that being back in her own bed surrounded by all the familiar things of home would have been comforting but still, sleep did not come easily to her. There was simply too much on her mind and the air was too heavy with anticipation of what was to come, what she needed to do, and in the end it left her lying awake until the sun finally rose.

Yet even with such a daunting task ahead of her, the familiar sound of a friendly squeak still made her smile.

“Good morning, Pascal,” she greeted as he climbed into her hands. She gave him a quick kiss on the top of his head and he chirped happily. During the long road to the Lorekeeper, Rapunzel wondered if she made the right decision to leave him behind. It wasn’t something she had chosen to do lightly but after all her and Cass had been through, she felt confident that yes, Pascal had been safer here in Corona... even if she did miss him.

But she was back now and they could all live in Corona together and...

An odd feeling in the pit of her stomach made her pause and she realized “together” might not include Cassandra if her father didn’t agree to let her stay. What would she do then? If words were not enough to convince him, what other options did she have?

Complicated thoughts threatened to overwhelm her and she felt the edges of a headache beginning to form. But Rapunzel knew that worrying about such eventualities did nothing but add weight to an already heavy heart. She had to stay positive.

_Things will go well._

_Mom and dad will understand._

_Dad will grant Cass amnesty._

Rapunzel repeated it to herself over and over again, reaffirming each statement like it was a commonly known fact. It energized her and with a smile she forced more than felt, she got dressed.

The throne room was just how she remembered it but, then again, Rapunzel didn’t quite know why she had expected it to be any different. She had only been gone a few months, hardly a length of time for considerable change, but for some reason returning home made her feel like she was once again seeing it for the first time. Purple and gold banners hung from the ceilings in calm salute and the carpet beneath her bare feet was just as soft as before, albeit a bit worn. It seemed that even in her absence the kingdom had still had its visitors and she couldn’t fault Corona for continuing to turn without her.

Though the princess would have preferred a more informal meeting out on the terrace, her parents had a schedule to keep so the location was chosen more for convenience than comfort. Yet for the sake of privacy for a family matter rather than a royal one, the guards had been dismissed and the king and queen sat upon their thrones waiting for their daughter to speak. It was an odd setting, Rapunzel thought, and for some reason she felt like she was on trial and she suddenly wished Cassandra was by her side.

“Good morning, Rapunzel,” her father said jovially.

“Did you sleep well, dear?” her mother asked.

“Sure did,” Rapunzel replied with a smile she didn’t quite feel. It was a bitter thought that she was starting off the conversation with her parents with a lie and with an inward groan she already wished she could start over.

“Good! Good. Your mother and I are so relieved to see you well again. It seems we owe Cassandra our thanks. I’ll meet with her before she departs and express my gratitude personally.”

It seemed the lie was the least of her worries. If her father was already making plans to see Cassandra off, it meant that he had already made up his mind.

_Things will go well._

_Mom and dad will understand._

_Dad will grant Cass amnesty._

Rapunzel repeated the words and clung to them like a dangling rope over an endless chasm. “Actually, dad, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Cass is... going to be staying for a while.”

The king raised an eyebrow and looked at his daughter curiously. “Oh?”

Rapunzel began to fidget under his stare but forced herself to stop. Why was this so difficult? These were her parents after all.

“In fact, I want you to grant her amnesty so she can stay here indefinitely. Corona is her home, she belongs here, she belongs in the castle, she belongs with me...” The last words escaped her lips before she could stop them but, then again, she didn’t want to. It was the truth. “...And I belong with her,” she finished softly and watched her parents very carefully.

“A royal pardon is quite the ask,” her father said scratching his beard.

“Frederick, we owe Cassandra so much. She’s the only reason Rapunzel is here with us now,” her mother countered.

“Arianna, you saw how quick she was to anger at dinner--”

But the queen waved the comment away. “Oh, her and Eugene argue all the time. That’s nothing new.”

With a quiet sigh, Rapunzel silently thanked her mother for being the voice of reason. She already knew how her father felt about Cassandra but it seemed like her mother was a bit more understanding. But something as simple as excusing an outburst at dinner was only a small part in her father’s overall consideration. Rapunzel needed to change his mind about Cassandra, about who she was, and show him who she wasn’t any longer... the villain. The traitor.

No, she was Rapunzel’s protector. Her champion.

And so much more.

If her father only knew how much Cassandra had given up for the princess then perhaps... perhaps he would understand the depths of Cassandra’s commitment to her.

“I think it’s important for you to hear the whole story about what happened,” Rapunzel said.

And so she told her parents the tale of the moonstone shard and their quest to find the Lorekeeper.

It was difficult trying to explain the seriousness of the situations they were in while trying so hard not to frighten her own parents but Rapunzel quickly realized that one would have to be sacrificed for the other. She simply could not express the complications of their quest and the meaningfulness of Cassandra's actions without detailing the dangers they faced so with a heavy heart, Rapunzel told them everything.

Time was the true villain of the story and she explained how with each passing episode, her hair would grow just a bit darker and she, in turn, would become just a bit weaker. But no matter the difficulties they faced, Cassandra was always the one who kept them going with fierce loyalty, determination, and bravery worthy of any guard in Corona.

Rapunzel forgave herself for leaving out particular details that led up to the duel like mentioning the Ingvarri themselves, instead saying that they were stopped and given a choice of passage: fight and win their way through or simply go around. That, at least, was the truth.

Even knowing what it would cost, Cassandra's decision to fight was motivated by the necessity for speed due to Rapunzel's ever deteriorating health. She could have refused the challenge. Could have taken the route without spending a drop of her own blood.

But she didn't.

Because she knew Rapunzel was running out of time.

It took several moments for the princess to collect her thoughts and build up enough courage to relive those moments spent by Cassandra's bedside as she lay bleeding and unconscious, unsure if she'd ever wake up again. But she needed to tell it. Her parents needed to know that this was the Cassandra Rapunzel was pleading her case for. The one who deserved amnesty and, damn it, she deserved so much more.

She pushed through the pain of the memories and continued to describe their trek through the mountains, both of them weak and tired, until, finally, they reached the Lorekeeper.

The Nexus... she couldn’t even begin to describe it but still she tried. But most importantly of all was what the Lorekeeper had told them, that the moonstone shard had been keeping the decay spell at bay the entire time. The king and queen seemed just as shocked at the revelation as she and Cassandra were, so sure was everyone that the moonstone was the cause of her illness. It, like the one who had wielded its power, was supposed to be the villain, after all. 

But even though Cassandra fulfilled her quest to find the Lorekeeper, she stayed with Rapunzel to the very end, fighting back a giant stone monster to take her to the one place that was supposed to hold all the answers and save her... only to find out that it was Cassandra all along. The last piece of the moonstone and her only salvation.

When Rapunzel got to the final moment where she once again opened her eyes and saw Cassandra looking at her with tears running down her face she paused. That moment... her favorite moment...

The words spoken, the embrace, that kiss...

She took a moment to gather her thoughts but by the time Rapunzel took a deep breath and opened her mouth the king spoke first.

“We... indeed owe much to Cassandra,” her father began hesitantly, “but if what you are saying is true, then she still has the moonstone powers and is therefore a danger to Corona.”

Rapunzel’s heart sunk. After everything she had just described... all the times Cassandra bled, the nights where she didn’t sleep because she was keeping watch, the pain and weariness and tears... The only thing he had heard was that Cassandra still had the moonstone magic inside of her? It simply didn’t make sense...

“What? No, dad, listen, Cass is--”

“Does she still have her powers?”

“Well, yes, but--”

“Then she is still a danger,” her father replied. When he saw her open her mouth to argue he held up a hand. “Rapunzel, please, you’ll be queen some day. You have to think about this from our point of view and what is best for the citizens of this kingdom. If Cassandra were to remain here then suddenly decide to betray Corona again, she--”

“She’s not like that!” Rapunzel said strongly. How could someone who danced with her under the stars by the light of a bonfire and wrapped her cloak around her to shield her from the cold of the driving rain be dangerous? How could... how could someone who looked at her with tears in her eyes and confess that she, Rapunzel, was the reason she risked everything to travel across the world chasing legends ever want to hurt her?? “Haven’t you been listening? She has _more_ than proven herself. She risked her _life_ to cure me of the effects of the decay spell! And you won’t let her stay because of one mistake in her past? What about Varian? You forgave him! Why is Cass so different?”

“Because Varian never betrayed our trust! Never betrayed _you,_ Rapunzel,” the king boomed and the force of his words startled her. “We let her into our home, trusted her with our only daughter, and she only used that to get close enough to you to take possession of the moonstone and attack Corona.”

“I _forgave her_! Why can’t you?” Rapunzel pleaded.

The king suddenly stood and towered over his daughter in a way he never had before. “Because I lost you once and I won’t lose you again.”

His declaration of fatherly love rang hollow in her ears. He was wrong. Everything he thought about protecting this kingdom was _wrong._

“So what? You’re going to send Cassandra away just so we can’t be together?” she asked on the verge of tears.

“Rapunzel, I’m doing this for your own good. She’s dangerous--”

She had heard those words before, that everything her father did for her was for her own wellbeing. For her own safety. Because he didn’t trust the world with is only daughter, not after what happened one misguided night so long ago. But it was his own lapse in judgement that evening that caused it and he was trying to make up for a mistake he could never forgive himself for.

And if he couldn’t forgive himself then he would never forgive anyone else.

Cassandra was right. Some things were never going to change.

And Rapunzel knew she didn’t want to live like that again.

“I don’t care,” Rapunzel said hoping the strength in her voice would hold. “This is still her home. There is still a place for her here and as long as I’m around, there always will be.”

“That,” the king said stoically, “is not your decision to make.”

Suddenly something inside her snapped. Rapunzel never got mad. No, she merely got upset. But in that moment words like “mad” and “upset” and “anger” lost all meaning and what Rapunzel felt was simply a boiling raw emotion that rose in her chest and threatened to spill over and burn anything around it.

“If Cassandra can’t call Corona home, then neither can I.”

The ultimatum hung in the air and bonded with a silence as thick as blood. It settled over them all in a moment too shocking to be real and Rapunzel wondered if she had really said those words or if she was watching someone else speak them.

It took her father a moment but he opened his mouth and said, “Rapunzel, don’t be...”

But before he could say “foolish”, Rapunzel turned and walked away, silent tears streaming down her face.

*****

It was not the way things were supposed to happen.

What was meant to be a calm, civil conversation had turned into a mess of emotions and authoritative declaration that left Rapunzel flustered in the worst possible way. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t get her father’s words out of her head.

_She’s dangerous..._

He was wrong. He had always been wrong about her and now... How many more fights, how many more quests, how many nights spent bandaged, bruised, and bleeding while unconscious from the pain would Cassandra have to give to prove herself in his eyes?

And all for what? To let her stay in Corona? A place that was her home by right? How could he take that away from her? What kind of king, what kind of man, what kind of father...?

Her thoughts began to spiral into a storm of frustration she didn’t know how to find her way out of. So trapped inside her own emotional vortex was she that it startled her to find out that her feet had led her to her room.

Her sanctuary.

Her former prison.

It was many things to her but in that moment it was the sense of the familiar she so desperately required.

She needed... just a moment. Just some time to herself to gather her thoughts and make sense of the nonsense if such a thing were possible...

“Hey, Rapunzel, can we talk?”

She turned and there was Eugene standing in the middle of the hallway. In a moment of panic she wondered if she had walked right past him and how many times he had called her name before she finally noticed, lost as she was in her own sea of troubled thoughts.

“Oh, Eugene. I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there. Can we maybe talk a bit later? I’m a bit--” The princess was about to say _overwhelmed_ but she never got the chance.

“It’s important.”

With a nod, she extended her arm out and invited him into her room and closed the door.Once inside, Rapunzel allowed Eugene to take her hand but when he moved a bit closer, she refused to meet his gaze.

“So I couldn’t help but notice that you’ve been a little... distant lately,” he began.

“I’m sorry, Eugene. It’s just... I’ve got a lot on my mind right now and I’m just a bit flustered after talking with my parents and it didn’t really go as well as I’d hoped and...” She realized how quickly her words were coming out and let the rest die with a heavy sigh.

Rapunzel put a hand on his chest and she patted the starched and pressed uniform underneath. It was strange but she remembered doing the exact same thing in this exact same place only a few short months ago yet it already seemed like a lifetime. Things had been so different then.

“But I’m sorry,” Rapunzel said placing a weary hand on her head. “You said you had something important you wanted to talk to me about.”

“Yeah, I do.” He moved away from her for just a moment as if gathering his thoughts until finally he turned back towards her and said, “I love you, Rapunzel. You know that. You know that I would do anything for you. But something has just been... _off_ since you’ve returned and I just can’t quite put my finger on it.”

“I told you, Eugene, the whole journey was a bit... life changing.”

“I know, you said that. But I think it was more than that,” Eugene said. He took a step closer and gently but firmly grabbed her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “I think you’re still under the influence of the moonstone.”

His words startled her and she stared at him with wide unbelieving eyes.

“What? Eugene, that’s ridiculous. Why would you even think...”

“Because you’re not yourself, Rapunzel!” Eugene said his voice just a note below frantic. “Why were you gone so long when you should have been back months ago? Why else would you still be wearing the shard as a piece of jewelry like it never tried to kill you? Why else would you be _sneaking out in the middle of the night kissing Cassandra_?”

Rapunzel froze. At first she wasn’t sure she heard him correctly, that her mind was just playing tricks on her. But one look at Eugene told her the painful truth.

He knew.

“Eugene... I...” She wanted him to interrupt her to buy some time but instead he remained silent and watched her struggle for words. It was what she didn’t say that spoke the loudest.

“How did you--?” Rapunzel began.

“I saw you!” Eugene interrupted, his face painted with shades of sadness and betrayal. “You... and Cassandra. Together. Last night. Outside.” It was like each word was being ripped from his heart. “I saw her kiss you. I saw that... that _thing_ around your neck glow!”

To Rapunzel, each word dug just a bit deeper into the well of truth and she stood absolutely stunned. This wasn’t how she wanted him to find out. She had planned on telling him, explaining things to him softly, gently, so that he would understand. But now... now the princess knew his anger would make it that much harder to describe her feelings, but she still had to try.

“Eugene... there’s no spell,” Rapunzel confessed softly.

His hand suddenly reached up and pulled the shard from her neck.

“Eugene!”

As soon as the stone left her skin it felt like he had ripped out a section of her heart and held it up for her to see and in that moment Rapunzel couldn't help but feel a surge of intense fear. That piece of the moonstone... it was a piece of Cassandra nobody wanted her to have and without it Rapunzel didn't feel whole. She reached for it with desperate fingers but Eugene held it away from her.

“Now tell me that there’s no spell,” he said. “Now that this thing is no longer influencing you.”

“There’s _no spell!_ ” Rapunzel cried out with tears in her eyes. Her already raw emotions were spilling over past their limit threatening to break her. 

Eugene looked her in the eyes, his own darting back and forth as he searched for any part of a lie, a lie Rapunzel knew he wouldn’t find no matter how hard he tried.

“Give me the shard. _Please_ ,” she said quietly.

After a moment that simply seemed too long, he placed it reluctantly in her hand and watched as she closed her fingers around it tenderly.

“Then what happened, Rapunzel?” he asked a bit more calmly. “Tell me it’s not what it looks like. Tell me and I’ll believe you.”

One look into his eyes and Rapunzel knew he would. He would do anything for her.

She lowered her gaze and simply said, “I’m sorry, Eugene. I can’t.”

“I don’t believe this,” Eugene whispered and turned away. “A few months ago, things were perfectly fine! We were happy, Rapunzel! What... what happened out there? What did she do to you to trick you into this?”

“She didn’t _trick_ _me_ into anything,” Rapunzel said sharply. No, Cassandra had perfectly chivalrous the entire time. It wasn’t until afterwards that Rapunzel realized just how long her friend had been holding on to those feelings but never acting on them for Rapunzel’s sake, not her own.

“So what _happened?”_ Eugene pressed.

This conversation was happening too fast, his words and accusations being thrown at her before she could build any solid defenses.

“I don’t know!” she answered quickly, too quickly for her mind to do anything other than panic. “Just being with Cass again after so long and...” Rapunzel paused and put a hand on his shoulder. “I love you, Eugene. I always will. I don’t know... maybe we kind of rushed things. You were the first person I met. Ever. Because of that, I never really got to find out more about myself outside of the tower. This trip changed things and... Cass and I have been through so much and... and I got to discover that unknown part about myself I never knew but it’s there and I can’t ignore it.”

“I don’t believe it,” Eugene said. “ _Cassandra._ Miss cold and icy. The one even creatures of the night are scared of. The one who--”

“Eugene,” Rapunzel said sharply and he stopped. Usually his teasing remarks were met with a tolerant smile but the tone in the princess’s voice made it clear she had had enough of his insults.

She was serious.

And it scared him.

“ _Do_ you love me?” he asked suddenly.

“Yes,” Rapunzel replied quickly.

“Do you love her?”

“Yes.”

“Do you love her _that_ way?”

Rapunzel’s final response was a much more quiet, “Yes.”

Eugene threw up his hands in frustration. “Well make up your mind. You can’t love both of us!”

“Why _not_?” the princess countered, helpless frustration building in her chest. The emotions were becoming too much and she felt close to bursting. “I love you _both_ , it just... it just feels _different_! When I’m with you, things feel familiar and warm but when I’m with Cass, there’s a spark, something magnetic about her and I just...” she grunted in frustration unable to find the right words. It was difficult trying to express how she felt and she knew she was doing a poor job of it. Eugene had her on the defensive and it was hard to find the vocabulary to describe the complex whirlwind going on in her heart.

“If you had to pick one of us, who would it be?”

“That’s not fair, Eugene,” Rapunzel said, her voice wavering just a bit. She had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, choosing between him and Cassandra. If only she could make him understand that she loved both of them...

But it was more than love. It was life. It was living free. And suddenly Rapunzel realized, sadly, that she couldn't have it all. She couldn't live inside the castle walls and be a wife and a mother and a queen one day and still travel the world, have adventures, and fill her journal with wonderful memories. Just like her mother had, at some point she would have to put her notebook away, place it upon the shelf with all the others only to give show it to her children some day and recall what had been. 

And she didn't want that. 

At least not yet.

“Last night out on the water you said you wanted to live here and... and raise our kids here and grow old within these walls. Is that what you always imagined? Is that what you wanted for us?”

“Of course it is! Everything we have is perfect, Rapunzel. That’s why I don’t why you’re willing to throw it all away for... for _her.”_

“I’m not throwing anything away,” she said strongly. “I know what _you_ want Eugene but have you ever considered what _I_ want? To not be trapped within these walls. To be out there and live a life not defined by gates or borders? To not be lied to by my own father who thinks that protecting me means locking me up and hiding me away? What’s worst of all is that you _helped him_.” Fresh tears began to form in her eyes as she stared hard at Eugene. “Cassandra doesn’t do that to me. She _trusts_ me!”

“I _do_ trust you, Rapunzel!” Eugene said quickly. “But you don’t seem to trust me. I told you the king forced me to follow you and now I’m starting to think he had a good reason to. Whatever spell Cassandra has you under, I’m going to find out what it is...”

“Eugene, I told you, _there is no spell_. I promise you, I--”

“You’ve made promises before,” he interrupted harshly. He took off his glove and held up his hand and the wedding ring that was wrapped around his finger. “You made a promise to me in front of the entire kingdom and I thought you didn’t break your promises...”

Eugene suddenly stopped himself after he realized what cruel words had slipped out of his mouth.

“Rapunzel...”

“Don’t,” she said simply, the tears finally running free down her face.

It was the look in her eyes that struck Eugene the hardest and suddenly he felt an invisible hand wrapped around his chest and stifle the flames of his anger. He could see the pain, the fear, the sadness... all those emotions laid bare within those emerald eyes and he knew he had hurt her. Hurt her in a way he swore he would never do. But she had hurt him too and now there was a rift between them he didn’t know if he could cross. If it could ever be mended again.

But that rift had a name.

“You will always be the love of my life,” Eugene said much more softly. “Nothing in the world will change that. But I’m not giving up on you.”

“Eugene, wait...”

The door slammed shut behind him and Rapunzel was suddenly all alone. She looked down at the ring around her own finger and slowly slid it off and placed in in the palm of her left hand while in her right sat the moonstone shard. She gazed lovingly at both then wrapped her fingers around them and closed her eyes as the tears slid down her face.

*****

There was no knock.

One minute her door had been closed and the next it was flung open by angry hands. Anyone else might have been startled but Cassandra had heard the footsteps coming down the hallway long before they reached her room. She didn’t even have to look up to know who it was.

“It’s called _knocking,_ Fitzherbert. Something civilized people do,” she said as she ran a cloth over the flat edge of her sword. The Ingvarri symbols etched into the steel caught the light and shone with dangerous purpose.

Eugene took one step forward and pointed a finger at her, words on the tip of his tongue. Actually, it looked like several words were on the tip of his tongue but he couldn’t seem to figure out which to say first.

“ _What?”_ Cassandra demanded, her patience wearing thin.

“You!” he said finally. “How _could_ you?!”

“You want to maybe clarify that a bit?”

He looked her directly in the eyes and she could see a simmering anger just beneath the surface. It was an emotion she had never seen in him before.

“You... and _Rapunzel_.”

She slowly put the cloth down and sheathed her blade hoping the gesture wouldn’t go unnoticed. Even still, to remain sitting put her at a precarious disadvantage so once her blade was once again sleeping, she stood. It was a scenario Cassandra had planned for, one of a myriad of several possible outcomes ranging on the scale from extreme sadness to uncontrollable anger and, while she much preferred an angry Eugene to a weepy one, it still wasn't something she was looking forward to. 

“You spoke with her.”

“Yes!” he shouted. “I... I don’t believe it! _You!_ ”

He spat the word like it alone was enough to condemn her and Cassandra didn't like his tone.

“Yes, Eugene, _me_. So, what, did you come here to fight me?” It wasn’t a threat. If she had wanted to threaten him, then he would know it.

But Eugene knew better, or at least she hoped he did. His movements were unsure, fueled by a broken heart. Cassandra had known Rapunzel was going to talk to him but what she actually said she had no idea. But if the way Eugene was reacting was any indication, it appeared to have not gone well.

He stared hard at her with sorrow filled brown eyes and took a step forward.

“No, I’m not going to fight you but I am going to find out what you did to her to trick her into this.”

Cassandra’s anger flared. “What? You don’t believe she could love someone other than you? Or is it just _me_ that you have a problem with?”

“A few months ago, everything was just fine! Perfectly fine! We were _happy_ together here in Corona! Then you showed up--”

“I showed up because she was in trouble,” she interrupted. “And if you were to ask Rapunzel herself, she would probably tell you a different story about her life inside the castle walls. How her father treated her like a prisoner again. How you _yourself_ , Fitzherbert,” she said pointing a finger into his chest, “betrayed her trust by following us to Vardaros.”

He pushed her hand away and stepped closer and Cassandra knew he was playing a dangerous game. But, then again, she knew quite well that people made stupid decisions when they had nothing left to lose.

“So, what, was this your plan all along? Hm? Is this what you’ve been doing for the past two years, figuring out a way to sweep Rapunzel off her feet away from Corona? Away from her family? Away from _me_?” His tone was low but had an edge to it that was dripping in accusations.

Cassandra didn’t like where this was headed.

“You think I gave her the shard because I _knew_ this would happen?” she said, her voice rising.

And that’s when Eugene brought his face close. “Did you pay those kidnappers to ambush us so you could play hero in front of her?”

Cassandra’s hand shot out and grabbed the front of his uniform.

“Don’t you _dare_ , Eugene,” she said quietly. “You have _no idea_ what I’ve sacrificed for Rapunzel. If you think for even a _second_ that I was plotting away to steal her heart, then you don’t know me at all.”

They stared hard at each other for several moments before Cassandra released him. She didn’t like being that close to him or anyone for that matter because in the end she didn’t trust him not to stick a knife between her ribs.

“I thought I knew you,” Eugene said, his rage bleeding out and mixing with sorrow to keep it burning. “I thought we were friends. No, not friends. You were like a sister to me, Cass. How--”

Something inside of Cassandra snapped. “You know what? Yeah, we were, Eugene. That’s why I did _nothing_ all this time because I respected our little family of misfits too damned much.” She clenched her hand into a fist then let it fall back to her side.

“Do you realize all the times I had to watch you two throwing glances at one another? Or dancing while I watched from the sidelines? Every time you held hands, every time you brushed the hair from her eyes, every look, every smile, every kiss I ignored because I knew you two were meant for each other??”

She paused. It wasn’t what she had meant to say but it was out in the open now and dammit she just didn’t want to hide anymore.

After a moment, it was Eugene who broke the silence. “How long have you been in love with her?”

Cassandra looked him straight in the eyes. “Long enough. But I never did a _damned_ thing about it because you were both so happy together. So you better think twice before you start thinking I betrayed you because I have been selfless for too long. People change and Rapunzel is no exception. She’s still happy, she’s just happy with me.”

In a way that was unlike him, Eugene clenched his jaw and Cassandra wondered what words he was biting back. But instead of saying anything, he simply turned and walked away, the door slamming shut behind him.

It wasn’t until the echo of his footsteps faded that Cassandra allowed herself to relax not realizing how much her shoulders had tensed, how tightly her hands were curled into fists.

She sighed.

 _That could have gone better_ , she thought bitterly.

Her friendship with Eugene had always been... tenuous at best. A bit fragile perhaps. But there had always been something about their little triad that worked. They balanced each other and as much as she hated to admit it, she had counted Eugene among her closest friends.

But, like she said, people change and, well... she didn’t know if the rapport they had built could survive something like this and Cassandra was surprised to feel a little sad about it.

In the end, it would have to be him that came to terms with things and she knew she couldn’t force that on him.

She had stolen the love of his life, after all.

Such things were not so easily forgiven.


	6. To Mend a Broken Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel talks to Cassandra about the future and the princess has another unexpected guest while Eugene deals with a broken heart

Cassandra didn’t know what it was... a feeling in the air, a whisper in the back of her mind, an unease in her chest... but something called to her down the corridors, down the halls she had traveled so many times before, and down, finally, to Rapunzel's room. It clung to her like cobwebs and only until she reached the door did she realize that after talking with her parents and Eugene, perhaps Rapunzel just wanted to be alone with her thoughts. Still, that feeling persisted so with a gentle but worried hand, Cassandra knocked on the door.

“Please, leave me alone. I don’t want to talk to anyone.”

“Raps? It’s me. Is everything okay?”

There was no response.

She suddenly heard the soft patter of footsteps and a few moments later the door opened. With a tear streaked face, Rapunzel wrapped her arms around Cassandra’s neck.

“Cass,” the princess said, her voice breaking ever so slightly.

“Whoa, hey, are you okay?” But from the way Rapunzel grasped the back of her shirt she knew that no, she was not okay.

The door closed behind them and Rapunzel pulled her over to sit on the bed. It was clear she had been crying, was on the verge of more tears, and probably would cry some more when Cassandra left the room and it broke something within her to see the princess wrapped in such sorrow, knowing it was a pain she couldn’t take away.

They sat in silence for several moments. It seemed like Rapunzel had so much to say yet she remained quiet and to Cassandra that spoke volumes. After all the time they had spent together, she felt like she knew everything about the princess. But it went beyond simply knowing her favorite color or favorite snack or which types of paints she prefers because the other ones just weren't "vibrant enough"... it was the smaller things like the way she tilted her head when she smiled or the way she hummed after she laughed. Or the way she kept silent when there was something extremely troubling was on mind.

And if there was one thing she had learned about Rapunzel was that sometimes just being there was all she needed. So Cassandra waited patiently until finally the princess spoke.

“I talked with my parents,” Rapunzel said softly.

“What did you tell them?”

“Everything. I told them about everything you did, everything you are, and he just..." Rapunzel gently shook her head, her lashes glistening with tears. "I tried, Cass. I really did but he wouldn't listen."

Arms wrapped around Cassandra's neck as the princess buried her face in her shoulder and sobbed.

"Hey, it's okay," Cassandra whispered. As Rapunzel leaned into her shoulder, she could feel the tears seeping into the soft fabric of her shirt and for some reason it gave rise to something in her throat that threatened to crack the walls of her emotional stronghold and she held the princess just a bit tighter.

“My father said you were dangerous," Rapunzel explained once the sobs had calmed. "That since you still have the power of the moonstone you’re a threat to Corona... and to me.”

Cassandra had expected as much. When it came to the king, he just couldn’t see past those misguided moonstone moments. It wasn’t the first time she was misunderstood and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.

“I’ll talk to him and--”

“No, Cass. It won’t make a difference.” Rapunzel looked up at her and Cassandra could see the sadness behind her eyes. “Like you said... some things will never change.”

“Raps, I...” she began but the princess stopped her. Not with words or a look, but just by grabbing her hand and threading her fingers into them.

Rapunzel knew what she had been about to say. That this was her home and she deserved to be around people who loved her and would care for her and keep her safe but it was all those things and more that she saw in Cassandra. At the end of the day, she knew that wherever Cassandra was, that was her home.

Cass would give up everything for her. It was time Rapunzel gave up something for her.

“If you can’t stay here, then neither can I,” the princess said quietly.

They were words spoken so softly that at first Cassandra couldn't believe she had heard them. Some small part of her heart couldn't help but rejoice at the declaration but everything else told her that it was wrong. Rapunzel was a princess with a kingdom and a family and Cassandra... well, Cassandra was nothing, came from nothing, would leave nothing behind when she died. No legacy, nothing of worth, forever painted as the villain in the history books of Corona with only a handful to mourn her when she was gone.

And even though Cassandra wanted Rapunzel by her side more than anything in the world, she knew it wasn't fair.

“Raps, wait. You don't--” The taste of the princess's lips upon hers silenced the thought and any further words of contrary she may have had suddenly slipped from her mind. With the touch of her fingertips upon her face and the softness of her kiss, Rapunzel told Cassandra without words that she had made her choice and nothing she could say would change that.

Even after they parted, Rapunzel stayed close letting the sensation linger just a moment longer then she leaned her forehead against Cassandra's and closed her eyes.

“I know where we can go,” Cassandra whispered. The princess nodded ever so slightly then touched Cassandra's face and brushed a thumb against the corner of her lips. 

A gentle knock on the door startled them both.

“I’m sorry,” the queen said. “I can come back...”

“No, it’s okay,” Rapunzel said wiping away fresh tears. “Cass, can I uh, have a minute alone with my mom?”

“Sure thing, Raps.” Cassandra rose and passed by the queen with her gaze lowered not out of reverence but simply embarrassment. But a hand on her arm made her pause and she looked up at the queen who gave her a warm if not sorrowful smile. Cassandra didn’t know what it meant but as she took her leave she had plenty of time to ponder it.

“Hey, sweetie,” her mother said taking a seat beside her.

As much as Rapunzel appreciated her mother coming to check in on her, she was drained, her emotions bled dry leaving her feeling tired and scared. It was fear that made her unable to meet her gaze not knowing what she had seen or didn't see. It was simply too much and at that moment she didn't know what new revelations her mother would bring whether they were good or bad, sympathetic or somber, she just couldn't handle any more...

But the flood was too much and the princess could only hold so much back.

“Oh, mom...” Rapunzel said and embraced her.

It felt odd, falling into her mother's arms like that. Between the only two mother's she had every know, this version promised compassion in a way Gothel never had and it scared Rapunzel to think that maybe this too was a trick. But the way her mother's arms wrapped around her swept aside all the fear and doubt and the tears she had tried so hard not to show began to fall.

“I know you’re upset,” her mother said. “And this probably wasn’t the homecoming you imagined it would be.”

It had been during one of those nights under the stars that Rapunzel had fantasized what coming home would be like. With a smile upon her lips as she slowly drifted off to sleep with Cassandra's cloak around her shoulders, the princess had dreamed of walking underneath the stone arches into the castle courtyard with Cassandra at her side to be met with cheers and laughter and hugs. There would be a big celebration, but not just because of her return.

They would call Cassandra a hero.

Champion of Corona.

To do what nobody else could have done, to save the princess with such courage and fire and determination worthy of knighthood. So clear was the picture in her mind that Rapunzel imagined her father placing a hand upon Cassandra's shoulder with words of apologies and a promise to do better. Then Eugene would sneak his arm around Cassandra's neck and she in turn would nudge him playfully in the gut and they would laugh and things would be like old times again...

But that was the thing about fantasies.

It hurt that much more when they didn't come true.

So as Rapunzel looked at her mother with tired eyes and a tear streaked face, she asked, “Why can’t I make him understand?”

And her mother answered her with a sorrowful smile that tried to comfort but promised only the smallest sliver of hope. “You just need to give him some time.”

Rapunzel couldn’t help but wonder if that’s all it would take. Simply more time. Would her father come around then? How long would it take? A few days? A few months? A few years?

What if he never did?

“I know why you want her to stay,” her mother said after a moment. Rapunzel couldn't help the way her eyes widened in surprise or the cold feeling of fear that came with it but something about the way her mother put a reassuring hand over hers calmed the storm that threatened to overwhelm her heart. “When did you realize you had feelings for Cassandra?”

The way she asked... there was no judgement, no accusations. An honest question and nothing more. But one look at her mother bespoke an understanding that gave Rapunzel the comfort and confidence to tell her the truth. 

“I don’t know," the princess confessed with a sigh as she looked down at her hands. "I guess... I guess there was always something there that I never really understood. I thought maybe that’s what having a really good friend felt like.”

“It can be,” her mother nodded. “Or it can be something more. But only you can decide which it is.”

“But... I still have feelings for Eugene,” Rapunzel countered, “and when I talked with him, he wanted me to choose and I just... I just can’t, mom.”

Hearing the confession out in the open caused something within Rapunzel to break open and she shook her head to try and stop the tears from flowing. She was tired of crying, tired of feeling this way with the pain and confusion and choices being forced upon her...

And suddenly her mother's arms were around her once again.

“You have a big heart, Rapunzel,” her mother said. “It’s not uncommon to have feelings for more than one person.”

“It... it’s not?” Rapunzel asked pulling away to look at her. The way her mother looked at her... it was with eyes that had lived a much longer life filled with the wisdom gained from countless more experiences and the princess suddenly realized how much she still had left to learn about life and love. 

“It’s not, Rapunzel. It’s completely normal. You were just so... _attached_ to Eugene. You were so sure he was the one that no one ever really questioned it. But, sweetie, he was literally the first person you met and well... I almost suspected you’d find someone one day and wonder what it meant.”

Her mother’s face held a warm, knowing smile... the same smile, Rapunzel realized, she had given her at the sun drop monument before they defeated Zhan Tiri.

 _You’re the only one can reach Cassandra’s heart,_ her mother had said, and the princess wondered if she had known even before she had.

Amidst a sea of emotional waves, the words of her mother offered her a much needed harbor from the storm welling inside her. To know that what she was feeling was normal... it was the lifeline she so sorely needed.

A single tear fell and Rapunzel wiped it away and tried to smile. “Thanks, mom.”

But there was still something else.

“I meant what I said earlier,” she confessed after a moment of silence. “If Cass can’t stay then neither can I.”

The queen raised a hand and tucked a lock of her daughter’s hair behind her ear then gently touched the side of her face. “I don’t want you to leave, Rapunzel, but you need to follow what’s in your heart. But no matter what you choose, know that we love you and we always will.”

It was all she could do not to begin to sob so instead Rapunzel hugged her mother one last time.

“I love you too, mom."

When her mother let her go, Rapunzel’s tears had dried and the smile that graced her lips was genuine.

The queen rose to her feet and headed towards the door then stopped.

"Your father and I hold council two hours after sunrise," she said. "He usually starts making decrees after that, maybe sooner if he hasn't had breakfast. He tends to get grumpy like that sometimes." 

The comment was made so offhandedly that it took Rapunzel a moment to realize it for what it was. 

"Thank you, mom. For everything."

Her mother smiled then gently closing the door behind her.

There was a somber tone off to her left and Rapunzel lifted Pascal from his branch.

“Guess we’ve got some packing to do,” she told him. He quirked his head off to the side and Rapunzel laughed. “Don’t worry, Pascal. You’re coming too.”

_*****_

There were many places a troubled soul could go but for some reason pubs always called to the broken hearted with promises of forgotten troubles at the bottom of a mug of ale. Though as much as Eugene had hoped cheap drinks and the stench of alcohol soaked belches would distract him but all it did was help him descend into a deeper, darker mood.

In all the time he had spent with Rapunzel in Corona, it had never crossed his mind that he would end up here drowning in a pool of his own sorrow. How had it come to this? What had he done wrong? How could he fix it? Or was it already too late?

A rough slap on his back suddenly caused the contents of his mug to slosh onto the table and startle him out of his cyclical thoughts.

“Not like you start the party without me,” Lance joked taking a seat beside his old friend. But instead of a quick retort or sarcastic comeback, Eugene said nothing and Lance knew his friend was not himself. “Something wrong?”

Eugene ran a hand over his face then let it drop heavily to the table.

“It’s over, Lance,” he said sullenly. “I lost her.”

“Who, the princess?” his friend inquired. “Like you lost track of her or you were playing hide and seek and she’s just really good at it or...?”

“I lost _her!_ ” Eugene shouted, his eyes filled with anger and sorrow. “She loves someone else.”

The silence between them was uncomfortable and suddenly Eugene wished he had chosen a less public place to drink his troubles away.

“Whoa, Eugene, buddy... I don’t know what to say,” Lance replied. “She was only gone for a few months. How could she have found someone to--”

“It’s _Cassandra_ ,” he hissed.

The shock on Lance’s face would have been comical had the situation been different.

“Wait, like... _Cassandra_ Cassandra?”

Eugene said nothing.

“Wow. That’s news to me. I mean, not that I’m surprised...”

Eugene turned sharply in his chair. “What do you mean you’re not surprised??”

But his friend simply threw up his hands and shrugged. “Come on, Eugene. You may not understand women like I do, but I mean... have you _seen_ Cassandra lately? Mmm, nothing finer than a strong woman.”

”You’re not helping, Lance!" As his temper flared Eugene tried to calm himself but it was just so damned difficult. He didn't like this, he didn't like being angry and he knew it wasn't him and the fact that he couldn't shake the feeling away upset him even more. He ran a hand over his face and as his fingers brushed his lips he felt a fresh wave of sorrow wash over him.

"I can’t believe Rapunzel kissed her..." he whispered just as a new thought struck him. "Wait, if she kissed Cassandra and I kissed Rapunzel... _ugh_! That means I kissed Cassandra!”

Lance eyed him incredulously and decided against laughing in favor of his friend's sour mood.

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s how that works but that was a nice attempt a logic.” The joke went unnoticed and the big man place a heavy hand on his friend’s shoulder and sighed. “Listen, Eugene. Did Rapunzel say she was happy? Because if she is and you want her to be happy, then you might have to let her go.”

But even if Eugene had pondered his friend’s comment for even just a moment, it slipped from his mind in the next.

“Or... _or_ , just bear with me a moment here, I can find out what Cassandra did to trick her into this whole thing,” Eugene countered.

Lance raised a curious eyebrow. “Is that what you think happened? Like, _really?_ Or is this just you going off the rails? Because I need to know before I throw my poker chips into this big ol' pile of crazy you're accumulating.”

Eugene grabbed his shoulders and looked him dead in the eye. “Doesn’t it make sense? I mean, it was only a few months ago that Rapunzel still love me but now... _now..."_ He let the thought trail away and his voice switched to a much somber tone. "We've never argued like that before, Lance. It was so... final. She said she doesn't even want to stay in Corona anymore.”

“What? Did she really say that?” Lance asked skeptically. “That doesn’t sound like the princess...”

In Eugene’s mind, he knew that wasn’t entirely true but clouded by grief as he was there were a few details his broken heart seemed to ignore.

“I know! That’s why there has to be something more going on here. I need to follow them...”

Lance put a hand over the top of Eugene’s drink just as he lifted it to his mouth. “Whoa whoa whoa, hold on a second. You’re just going to take off and stalk Cassandra until when exactly? She reveals her evil plan? You catch her in the act of putting a spell on the princess? Come on, man, think this through. What about your position as Captain of the Guard? Huh? You can’t just up and leave.”

“That’s exactly what I’m going to do,” Eugene said as he put his mug back down onto the table and rose to his feet. “The only question is are you coming with me?”

Lance held up his hands and waved them trying to slow Eugene down. “Wow, so that is a _lot_ to process in just a few short minutes since I got here. You want me to _what?”_

“Are you coming or not, Lance?!”

“Eugene, I’m a father now. I’ve got two girls to take care of! This isn’t like old times, I can’t just up and leave anymore. I wish things were simpler but I can’t. I’m sorry.”

In some part of his mind where logic still lived, Eugene knew he was right. They had both made commitments and had responsibilities to things that were more than themselves but at that moment grief and anger would not let it see the light of truth and instead what he heard was that another one of the people he thought he could trust turned his back on him.

“Seems like everyone is full of surprises today,” Eugene said bitterly and stalked away.

“Eugene, wait!” Lance called out but his friend never turned around.

*****

This time when the sun rose Rapunzel didn't see it as the herald of a new day with the promise of fresh adventures on the horizon. No, today it marked the end of a time in her life, the last page in her notebook marked with somber shades and she didn't know if it was a chapter that would ever be revisited again. 

The light had barely graced the parapets and most of the world was still asleep by the time Rapunzel walked down to the stables with Pascal perched on her shoulder and a bag under her arm. There were so many things she still wanted to tell her parents but, most of all, she wished she could tell them goodbye.

But as much as she wanted to see them one last time, her mother's warning echoed in her mind and Rapunzel knew that it was only a matter of time before her father imposed sanctions on Cassandra, barring her from seeing Rapunzel and having her removed from the kingdom entirely. Worse yet, if her father knew of her plan to go with Cassandra he would have put her under guard once again making it that much more difficult to escape back to the solace of the open road.

And that was a risk she wasn’t willing to take.

So with a heavy heart and words unsaid, she packed her things and had Pascal sneak Cassandra a message so that by the time she opened the stable doors, Cassandra already had everything packed and ready to go. 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Cassandra asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Rapunzel knew what what she meant, what leaving meant. Though her mother had made her feelings clear, without her father’s blessing she was turning away from her life and her duties as a princess. Once she left, it would be that much harder to go back.

She nodded and Cassandra took her bag and secured it to Max’s saddle. They guided the horses out into the open and mounted up, Rapunzel pulling her hood up so she wouldn’t so easily be recognized and they made their way through the gates, over the bridge, and back onto the road.

*****

Night had once again descended and the magical glow of the Forest of Light once again revealed its hidden beauty to the world. Tiny lights of pollen floated gently in the air and caressed the leaves of trees as they swam through the air. The lightest of breezes swept them on their way and as one tiny puff wandered into the brush underneath a large tree, a swirl of shadows suddenly began to gather around it. It formed legs that swam underneath a curtain of darkness, an impossibly lean torso, long spindly arm, and a head with dark hair and even darker lips.

And the light of the tiny ball of pollen was snuffed out.

The grass underneath began to turn black, the wondrous glow suddenly sucked away, absorbed by the darkness.

Eos lifted his hands and and plucked at the air before his sightless eyes. Feeling... searching...

There.

“ _Cassandra...”_

She had been here.

He was getting closer.


	7. In Search of Solace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eugene takes off after Rapunzel and is surprised by an unexpected arrival. Meanwhile, Cassandra reaches out to some old friends while Rapunzel deals with the fallout of leaving Corona behind.

With a flutter of feathers, Owl took off into the air and immediately caught a current that lifted him high above the trees, the tiny roll of parchment clutched tightly in his talons. Cassandra watched him go until he disappeared into the sky, her gaze lingering just a moment more as she silently wished him safe travels. He had quite the distance to go but Cassandra trusted him to find the way.

While they waited for the response he would bring, Cassandra and Rapunzel once again took off to the northeast.It was strange, traveling the same road they had been down what seemed like ages ago but in reality had only been months. Through the outer wall, past the plains and forests... the familiarity was met with a warm sense of nostalgia yet it did little to ease Rapunzel's troubled mind.

The way she had left things with her parents and Eugene weighed heavily upon her and she couldn't help but wonder if perhaps she had said things differently, used different words, conveyed her feelings a bit more clearly that, well... maybe they wouldn’t have had to leave Corona. But there were a million different words that could have been said an infinite number of ways... to pluck those magical few out amongst the rest and present them to her father with palms raised hoping he would accept them was simply impossible.

Once they crested the final hill that would take them out of sight of the low lying lands, she pulled gently on Max’s reigns and turned around. The castle glittered with the light of the sun at Rapunzel’s back, casting a long shadow that pointed the way back home. A tiny nudge against her neck and she knew Pascal could sense her turmoil.

“You okay?” Cassandra asked bringing Fidella alongside her.

“Yeah, just...” She let the words trail off into the realm of unfinished thoughts and pressed her lips together in a tight line. 

“Give them time,” Cassandra said. “They’ll come around.”

But it wasn't just that. For some odd reason Rapunzel felt a cold feeling in her chest like it was the last time she would gaze upon the place that had become her home. A whisper of a warning floated across her consciousness, telling her to trace every tower, every parapet, every fluttering banner with her mind so she would remember it always in case she never returned.

With a heavy heart and an unspoken farewell upon her lips, Rapunzel turned Max back around and with Corona behind her, she followed Cassandra towards the rising sun.

*****

“It sounds like you’ve already made up your mind.”

That wasn’t entirely true. To have made up one’s mind would imply that there was a choice involved and to Eugene, there was no such luxury afforded him. Only one path lie ahead of him and it was lit with a familiar golden light he would follow until his last breath.

But still, it didn’t make confronting the king any easier.

“I have,” Eugene replied stifling the urge to fidget nervously under the king’s steady gaze. Though in the end, he suppose it didn’t really matter what the king thought of him anymore. Here he stood before his majestic royal mightiness dressed once again in his green traveling vest and worn boots, his captain’s uniform abandoned on his bed and all the responsibilities that went with it.

Along with the life he once had.

But he had to. Somewhere deep inside he knew Rapunzel still loved him and he would find out where that piece of hope still lived and bring it back to life. However it was a task made a bit more difficult considering the princess was no longer in the castle. But Eugene knew Rapunzel and once he found out the king refused to grant Cassandra amnesty, he knew what the princess would do. So when he went to find her and discovered that she was gone, well... it came as no surprise.

At least, not to him.

The king was much harder to convince it was not some act of subterfuge or another kidnapping but the queen was ultimately the one who calmed her husband’s sea of stormy thoughts. Eugene couldn’t imagine the feelings raging inside of the king of having his daughter returned to him only to lose her again in a matter of days without even a proper goodbye. No, Eugene had no idea but he could hazard a guess.

“I understand why you’re doing this but I want to tell you that you don’t have to resign, son,” the king said.

The word made Eugene wince. But it wasn’t just because the king knew what effect it had on him, how the former thief had longed for his approval since the moment he arrived... to be treated as an equal even though kings and thieves were as far apart as they come. It was the respect, the acceptance that word provided and Eugene desperately wanted to hear it spoken with the quiet sincerity in which the king was now using it.

But there was another reason it made him wince.

Eugene wasn’t sure he was even his son-in-law anymore.

“I do, your majesty,” he replied in all seriousness. “I need to go after her.”

“But that’s just it,” the king said rising from his throne. The distance quickly shrank between them as the he approached and put a heavy hand on Eugene’s shoulder. “We want the same thing.”

The hand was a weight upon his already burdened soul and for some reason it felt eerily similar to the memory of cold shackles around his wrists.

“Listen, I know what you’re doing and I’m going after Rapunzel because I still love her, not because it’s my job.”

“All I’m asking is that you retain your commission as captain and bring my daughter home,” the king said in a low voice.

Suddenly the king wasn’t ordering, he was _asking_ and the shift was not lost on Eugene. Such a subtle game the king was playing and Eugene hadn’t realized he was a pawn in it. A pawn that was being moved very carefully in one particular direction...

“I’m sorry,” he said, shrinking away from the king’s hand. “I’m not going to do that to her again. That’s what started this whole thing in the first place. I just want to make sure she’s safe and... and then I’ll figure things out from there.”

The way the king looked at him made Eugene uncomfortable and as much as he wanted to shrink away from that gaze, he held his ground. How much power, he suddenly realized, the king had over him. With a word he could be thrown in prison, with another he could remove the head from his shoulders and Eugene realized how easy it would be for the king to suddenly make him disappear.

“Think very carefully about what you’re giving up,” the king said casually.

Eugene recognized a thinly veiled threat when he heard one and knew it wasn’t the steady job he was referring to. No, the king was playing to his vanities. The facials, the hair products, the hot baths, clean clothes, daily goatee trimmings...

And the former thief was taken aback at how comfortable he had become. It made his stomach churn.

With as much courage as he could muster, he looked the king square in the eyes.

“I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for her,” he said quietly.

The conversation was over. There was nothing left to say. And no time to lose.

He had a princess to catch up with.

*****

The familiarity with which Eugene knew Rapunzel’s heart was so clear that it pained him to know that it no longer belonged to him. He knew they would head east towards the wall then would most likely continue towards the north if he had to guess. There weren’t too many places a runaway princess would go but knowing the company she kept, he could make an educated guess as to where they were headed.

Well then, there was no time to waste.

Eugene nudged his horse forward and began to follow.

“Eugene, wait!” a voice called.

He pulled on the reins and turned slightly and saw Lance heading in his direction guiding a steed of his own. It lifted his lonely heart to see his friend but with that feeling came a twinge of guilt. It had been easy for Eugene to abandon his responsibilities because the one whom he had taken them for in the first place was gone but Lance... Lance had a family now. It was an unfair thing to ask of him.

“What happened to being a responsible parent?” Eugene asked.

“Well, you know those two. They’re pretty self sufficient without me,” Lance explained.

“I mean, they have been since we caught them cleaning the pockets of Corona,” Eugene said with a smirk. “And I’m sure they’re sick of your cooking.”

“They may have mentioned something to that effect,” his friend said with a shrug. “Besides, they’re not kids anymore and I need to stop treating them as such but still, I made arrangements to have a few people look in on them from time to time.”

"Lance, listen. I'm sorry about earlier. I was mad. Still am mad and it's just... you don't have to do this. I know it's asking a lot."

Lance grasped his friend’s hand warmly and said as sincerely as he could, "Eugene, the entire time we've known each other your heart has always been in the right place so if you think you need to go after the princess, then I'm night beside you. I mean, what else are friends for?" Then with a casual tilt of his head and a hand thrown over his shoulder he added, "Besides, without me, you’ll most likely end up lost or injured or kidnapped or poisoned or--”

A puff of breath left Eugene’s lungs in the form of a huff and he put a hand to his chest. “Excuse me! I seem to recall _you_ getting kidnapped and poisoned on our last trip and I had to save _you!”_

“Yeah, but it was your fault. Had I not been there, you would’ve been the one turning a very unappealing shade of green.” With a theatrical flourish he lifted a hand to the sky and proclaimed melodically, “Heaven doth knows what kind of trouble thou would get into without the mighty Lance Strongbow to protect you!”

Eugene simply shook his head and smiled. For him to have a friend such as Lance... it gave him hope that all was not gone in his life.

“Well then, let’s go! We’ve got a princess to save!” Eugene said snapping the reigns.

*****

The miles drifted away behind them and almost a week later, there was still no word. Not that Cassandra had expected an immediate response but she was anxious for news. If things were not agreed upon and her request denied, they needed an alternate destination and changing things at the last minute was not something she wanted to do. She didn’t want Rapunzel to panic, think they were wandering aimlessly when right now what the princess needed more than ever was stability.

But Cassandra could only do so much and at that moment all that was left was to wait.

And stars knew patience was definitely not her strongest quality.

With the sun still burning brightly, Cassandra had already run out of things to keep her busy. They had traveled hard for most of the day and set up camp early for a much needed break before heading into the hills. There were certain areas she wanted to avoid and as much fun as it would have been to return to Vardaros, she didn't dare. So with the horses grazing easily and camp already set, she looked around for a task to keep her occupied but found nothing. She could sharpen her blades, she supposed, but it really wasn’t necessary. The Ingvarri steel Inga had gifted her with had retained its lethal edge since she received it. Whether it was from superior craftsmanship or maybe even a hint of magic, she didn’t know. But it was something to do.

A way to pass the time until Rapunzel came back to camp.

It didn't bother Cassandra that as soon as they stopped to rest the princess requested some time alone to draw in her notebook but what did worry her was the silence that clung to her like cobwebs. The absence of conversation while traveling out of the kingdom had made for a peaceful ride but Cassandra knew it meant that Rapunzel was troubled. The lack of excitement and that wonderful spark in her eyes was gone, replaced instead by a deep sadness. Though Cassandra was glad to be away from Corona she had to remind herself that this was Rapunzel’s home and leaving... no, it wasn’t the fact that she was leaving that made her so upset. It was that she couldn’t so easily go back this time and that was a feeling Cassandra understood all too well.

But heavy hearts needed space and if Rapunzel needed her, she would be there.

A large boulder that sat at the edge of the pond was just flat enough on the top where Cassandra could sit comfortably. The rays of the late afternoon sun had warmed the stone to a pleasant temperature so Cassandra took off her jacket and unsheathed her sword and got to work.

It was an oddly comforting melody, the grinding of a whetstone on steel. The rhythmic motion of her arm against the reliable rigidity of her blade lulled her into a state of zen she so rarely found these days. Similar to when she practiced her fighting forms by herself, it was a type of moving mediation her soul so sorely needed.

A beam of sunlight touched the metal causing it to shine and she looked down and saw her own reflection upon the steel and the symbols etched into it.

Unlike other Ingvarri, Cassandra’s blades didn't have names. Well... that wasn’t entirely true; they did have names, she just never spent the time to figure out what they were.

During one of those nights that seemed so long ago, she remembered her older sister Yula commenting on her new weapons and explained to her the Ingvarri tradition that once a weapon was forged for an individual, they would go up into the mountains and commune with the steel like it was a living thing. But it was so much more than simply whispering for blessings of strength and speed; what the warrior was actually doing was entering into a partnership with the blade, trusting her life to it. Promising to take care of it, keep it sharp, only awaken it when it was needed and the blade, in turn, would be an extension of the warrior’s arm and promise to always be strong, reliable, a constant companion in dangerous situations.

And if it was agreed upon the weapon would whisper back to the warrior, sealing the pact by revealing its name... or it would remain silent. Names had power, after all. And like everything with the Ingvarri, power, like respect, was earned.

So as Cassandra stared at the sword in her lap and traced the symbols with her fingers, she wondered what its name was... and if it would even tell her if she asked.

 _“I’m surprised their names are not ‘Sword’ and ‘Knife’,”_ she remembered Talia teasing and the thought made Cassandra smile. Oh how she missed her sisters.

With a heavy heart she wondered if Talia was okay. The raid on the slaver base had happened months ago and she had heard no word official or otherwise in any of the towns they visited and Cassandra couldn’t help but worry.

Perhaps, if all went well, she would know soon enough.

It seemed the day was perfect for reflection and not too far away another soul was trying to find zen but in a much more creative way.

In the cool shade of the trees, Rapunzel sat with her back against a trunk, her journal open to a blank page resting comfortably in her lap. Troubled thoughts made for chaotic lines and and as her pencil glided over the smooth surface, the marks she left upon the paper were her grief, her sorrow, her despair. All those emotions that she wished would simply go away she pressed upon the page, dragging them from her soul with a tip of graphite and soon she stopped and beheld what she had created.

There were so many images upon that single page but so had been the thoughts in her mind. Troubled. Unorganized.

In the middle, of course, lie the beautiful lanterns of her birthday celebration, the best and brightest part of her return home. It was upsetting how quickly things fell apart after that, Rapunzel thought sadly. She ran her hand over the rest of the images; surrounding the golden lights were pictures of her parents, Eugene, and Cass not together but each in their own corner separated by Rapunzel herself in the center. Each section was a piece of her but they no longer fit together and the expression she had drawn on her own face was absolutely heartbreaking.

A low trill from her shoulder caused her to look up.

“I don’t know, Pascal,” she said sadly. “So much of my life was tied up in being the princess of Corona but now... now what do I do?”

Her friend let out a series of optimistic squeaks and Rapunzel couldn’t help but smile. “Maybe I will find what I’m looking for out here, wherever Cass is taking us.”

It was true; they had had so much fun these last few months that Rapunzel had wished every day would be exactly the same yet the next was always a new adventure that brought new moments and created new memories. 

What would have been her memories within the walls of Corona? Another breakfast with her parents out in the terrace? Another day watching Eugene get his hair cut or his goatee trimmed? Another stroll about town picking up the same paint supplies, the same sweets from Atilla’s, the same books from the library, the same...

Everything.

And Rapunzel realized that every day with Cassandra was an unknown. How many close calls had they had? How many perfectly planned afternoons were suddenly thrown out the window because they landed in the middle of an adventure or found themselves being chased or they simply happened upon people who needed their help? Yet at the end of the day they were together and as they gazed up at the stars bathed in the light of the moon, Rapunzel knew she didn’t want to be anywhere else.

She just wished there was some way she could have this life of freedom and excitement yet still be be able to go home and be with the rest of the people she loved.

Rapunzel placed a hand on the journal in her lap and traced the lines that no longer overlapped. She once thought she could have it all and now she wondered if such a thing was really possible.

Maybe her mother and Cassandra were right. Perhaps all she needed was to give it time. 

*****

It had been a long day and as they guided the horses to the nearby stream to rest, a familiar hoot carried upon the wind and Cassandra looked up. Owl descended gracefully and landed on her arm, a tiny roll of parchment clutched in his talons.

“I take it you found them okay?” Cassandra asked, smoothing the feathers on his wing and taking the message from his grip. His response was an affirmative hoot and a confident tilt of his head. She reached into her bag and pulled out some snacks which he took gratefully then flew up onto Fidella’s saddle while she unfurled the message.

A moment after she began reading a sly smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

“What does it say?” Rapunzel asked leaning over her shoulder.

“It seems we’re in luck. Talia and the others are headed to Ingvarr in a few days for Yula’s rank ascension ceremony. It seems she was quite the hero during the battle against the valley slavers.”

“She’s getting promoted?”

“With highest honors.”

It was unexpected news but one that filled Cassandra’s chest with pride. Out of all her friends, she always knew the woman she considered her older sister would do great things. Yula was a leader, a teacher, someone all the initiates looked up to... and one who saw something in Cassandra she herself never knew was there. Yula had always been so patient with her, so understanding, yet pushed her when she needed it. Unlike her time spent training with Inga, Yula was the kinder counterpart to Wolf Mother’s harsher methods. While they were both very effective teachers, Cassandra much preferred training with her sister, though she would never admit as much in Inga’s presence.

And now that she was getting promoted, Cassandra had the chance to watch her ascend into the role she was born to be in.

With the rest of her sisters.

In Ingvarr.

“So what does this mean?” the princess said.

Cassandra rolled up the parchment and put it in her belt. “It means that we need to move quickly to meet up with them.” And with a roguish grin, she added, “We’ve got a party to attend.”


	8. By Deeds, Not By Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra and Rapunzel meet up with Talia and travel to Ingvarr and the princess gets to meet Cassandra's very big, very rowdy Ingvarri family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sisters! / Talia’s Plan - “Chipped Paint” by Harry Gregson-Williams  
> The Song of Ingvarr - “Song of Women (feat. Lzzy Hale of Halestorm)” by The HU, Halestorm  
> Welcome Home, Rhanvari! - “Amazons of Themyscira” by Rupert Gregson-Williams / “Themyscira” by Hans Zimmer  
> Ingvarr / Meeting the Family -“Inside the Case” by James Newton Howard  
> Talia and Orli - “The Stowaway” by Harry Gregson-Williams

The coordinates Talia had provided allowed Cassandra to plan a route that would take them past the outskirts of Valengarr, the Ingvarri training camp, and towards the mountains to the north. As much as she would have loved to show Rapunzel the place where she had been reborn, she knew a visit with the princess would not be, to put it diplomatically, “very well received”. The site was supposed to be a secret, after all. A secret that wouldn’t have been very well kept if the princess of an another nation found out about it.

As they rode along the edge of unmarked Ingvarri territory, Cassandra could feel eyes upon them and knew they were being watched by scouts but neither they did not show themselves nor impede their progress and she silently thanked Talia for notifying them they were coming. The last thing she wanted was to start the trip off with a misunderstanding and have to explain herself to Wolf Mother.

By midday, they had covered much of the distance to the low lying lands of the foothills before they found the trail through the mountains that would take them all the way to Ingvarr.Yet the closer they got the more something stirred inside Cassandra. It hadn’t been that long ago that she had last seen Talia but it was a meeting that had been short lived and bittersweet. With the decay spell advancing rapidly and her sisters preparing for battle, there hadn’t been much time for drinks and easy conversation.

But things were different now. For once there was no life threatening mission. No upcoming battle. No _endgari._ It was a rare moment of peace Cassandra eagerly looked forward to.

Soon the smell of campfire smoke and the soft scraping of a whetstone on steel floated on the breeze and once they crested the gently sloping hill she saw them.

Her friends.

Her sisters. 

Her family.

About a dozen warriors roamed easily throughout the camp sharpening their weapons and talking amongst themselves. Every so often a few sharp barks of laughter pierced the air and shouts went up either in surprise or raucous joy. For some, this would be their first time away from Valengarr since they arrived as teens while for others the pilgrimage was one of returning home. Or, in the case of any _feylahni_ like Cassandra herself, it would be the first time ever seeing the warrior’s homeland.

Oh, Cassandra had heard stories but never in her life did she think she would actually be on her way to the glorious city of Ingvarr. During those peaceful nights after a long day of training, she remembered sitting by the campfire listening to her sisters talk about home. Those like Yula who had been born and raised in the mighty military capital spoke of it fondly, painting a picture as vivid as any oils on canvas ever could. They had all longed to see it, the land nestled in the palm of the fjords surrounded by the blue waters and green of the mountains. The entire evening would be spent talking of the things they would see, the places they would visit, and the homemade food of their mothers and grandmothers whose simple aroma could could take them into the past to when they were children. 

It was a dream Cassandra never thought she would see.

But now she had her chance yet she wasn't just going as a visitor. With invitation in hand, Cassandra was being welcomed to the capital to join in celebration of her sister's achievements. It was a privilege and an honor unlike any she had ever had before and she couldn't help feel like the luckiest person in the world.

Fidella could sense her rider’s excitement and whinnied her own greeting causing the Ingvarri to turn in their direction and wave. Shouts of surprise and welcome filled the air and Cassandra cast a quick glance at Rapunzel who laughed and tilted her head towards the warriors.

With a giant grin upon her face, Cassandra urged Fidella forward.

Rapunzel watched her go and smiled. It warmed her heart to see Cassandra so excited. There weren’t many people who she would race forward to see, to clasp their arms and slap their shoulders in camaraderie and laugh with. It was a side of Cassandra she rarely saw but when she did... Rapunzel couldn't feel anything other than happiness for her. 

With a slight nudge, she guided Max along the path to meet up with her new family.

Before Fidella even came to a complete stop, Cassandra swung her leg over and jumped down from the saddle. Nahdi got to her first and their forearms met with a mighty _thwack!_ then the muscular Ingvarri slapped Cassandra so hard on the back she had to take a step forward to stop herself from falling. Just as she regained balance Talia wrapped her arms around her and practically lifted her off the ground.

“ _Oya,_ Cassa! You made it!” Talia said then held her friend at arms length. “You are looking well. Much better than the last time I saw you being near death and all.”

“You don’t look too bad yourself, Talia,” Cassandra replied then nodded to the right side of her face. “Looks like I’m not the only one blocking blades with her face.”

Talia brushed her fingertips against the small scar on her cheek and smiled. “You like it? A souvenir courtesy of some slavers. It was quite the fight, Cassa. I wish you could have seen it.”

Nahdi hooked an arm around Talia’s neck. “This one fought with the spirit of Anja, standing over and guarding her fellow sister who was wounded! It is a scar to be proud of.”

“ _Oya,_ but the real hero of the battle was Yula!” Talia said. “With Reva removed as commander, she led _both_ units into battle and fought with the strength of Seiga and the fearlessness of Ravenica! I swear she was the Storm herself!”

It was a story Cassandra eagerly looked forward to hearing. Though they had exchanged notes briefly through Owl, there hadn't been enough time or parchment to detail what had happened but in her heart Cassandra knew that her sisters would be alright. They were Ingvarri after all.

“Speaking of Yula, where is she? Isn’t she riding with us?” Cassandra asked.

“She is already in Ingvarr,” Nahdi explained. “Wolf Mother gave her early leave to be with her family before the ceremony.”

“I’m happy for her,” Talia said. “She has been away from her son for far too long.”

The news startled Cassandra. “Yula has a son?”

Talia nodded. “A _feylahn_ she rescued as a _beybonrhar_. He must be... about four now, I think. _Amma_ Sanna has been watching him while she was deployed but the little _beybonrhar_ is so attached to Yula. But you will get to meet him! _Oya,_ she knows we are coming but you will be a pleasant surprise for her, Cassa! She has been looking for you, wondering where you ran off to.”

At the approach of hoofbeats, Talia turned and spread her arms wide. “And you too, Rapsi! You are in for a treat! It is not every day Ingvarri find cause to celebrate but when we do, it is quite the spectacle.”

She held up a hand and the princess took it and hopped out of the saddle.

“Thank you, Talia,” Rapunzel said giving her a great hug. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You as well. By the way, I like your hair much better this way,” the medic said with a wink.

“Enough chatting!” Nahdi said waving everyone towards the camp. “Come! Meet the rest of the squad!”

“Don’t mind Nahdi!” Talia told Rapunzel loudly so her sister would hear her then added in a normal voice, “she is a bit excited is all.”

Once they tethered their horses they joined the others around the modest campsite. Though the faces that looked at them were lean and filled with scars, the women gave kind greetings and warm smiles. Well, most of them.

“This is Svea, Senne, Estassia, Saia, and Detalla,” Talia said throwing a hand casually at each in turn. “And behind you is Eira, Chara, Natsumi, and Tetra. I don’t expect you to remember all their names, Rapsi, so if you need to get someone’s attention, just shout ‘ _rhanvar!’_ and watch them all turn around!” she laughed.

Rapunzel chuckled and waved at the group. “Hi, I’m Rapunzel. Oh, and this is Pascal! Nice to meet you all. Wow, that is an _impressive_ looking axe.”

The blade of the mighty weapon lay embedded in the ground and the midnight hued hand that hefted it easily into the air belonged to one of the biggest and most muscular women the princess had ever seen.

“It is why they call me Detalla the Axe,” the warrior explained with a grin as sharp as her weapon.

“Detta, I can’t wait for the moment you pick up something other than an axe and they start calling you Detalla the Butter Knife,” Nahdi joked.

“You assume that I don’t slice butter with my axe, _rhanvar!”_ the warrior responded and the group broke out into laughter.

The thought made Rapunzel chuckle but she couldn’t help but wonder if she was serious.

“So you were in Yula’s unit during the battle?” Cassandra asked.

“I was,” Detalla replied. “And I hope she chooses me to join her squad after her rank ascension.”

“She will, _rhanvar_ ,” Nahdi assured her. “The High Mother encourages a new unit to be built from old friendships. That is how the commander knows you will have her back.”

“Wait, who’s the High Mother?” Rapunzel asked.

Nahdi rotated her hand in the air searching for the right word. “ _Ai..._ I think you call her our ‘queen’.”

“Because of what Yula did on the battlefield, she is ascending in the ranks from what you would call Elite Warrior to Commander,” Talia explained to Rapunzel. “She will be allowed to pick the members of her squad which is quite the honor. Most of the time, those who ascend to a position of command choose the sisters she fought with on the battlefield or those she sees great potential in.”

“Wow! That seems like a very intricate ranking system,” Rapunzel said. “I’ve never heard of anything like that. We just have guards and a guard captain and that’s about it.”

Talia put a hand on her shoulder and shook her playfully. “ _Oya_ , it is because Corona is a small island. Ingvarr is a _nation_.”

“Is that where you come from, Rapsi? Corona?” Estassia asked popping a nut into her mouth and throwing the shell in the fire. The woman was a bit different from the other warriors and had a wild look about her made more so by the tattoo that ran horizontally across the bridge of her nose across her cheeks. It made the princess wonder if she was from Ingvarr or if she was like Cass and joined the warriors later in life.

“Yes,” Rapunzel said. “Born there and... well, not raised there, really. That part’s a bit complicated. But I lived in the castle for a few years now and it’s just a beautiful island.”

“Castle? Do you attend the royal family?”

Off to the side Cassandra made a noise and Rapunzel couldn’t tell if it was one of surprise or amusement. Knowing her, however, she guessed it was the latter.

“No,” Rapunzel replied. “My parents are the king and queen and...”

A quiet mutter rose up from the group and Saia looked at Talia.

“ _Rapsi est jornhedda?”_ the warrior asked.

A few other words were spoken but Rapunzel wasn’t sure what was going on.

“Cass?” she asked uncertainly.

But the look on Cassandra’s face told the princess that she was just as lost as she was. “Problem, Talia?”

“ _Oya!_ I have already figured this out! _Shash!”_ Talia told her sisters, waving away their comments before turning to Cassandra. “Sooooo... we can’t really tell anyone Rapsi is a princess,” Talia said simply.

“Why not?” Cassandra asked. Talia cringed and Cassandra knew that the answer wasn’t going to be something she liked. “ _Talia_.”

Her friend lifted a hand casually and tilted her head to the side. “If the High Mother finds out Rapsi is in Ingvarr, she will send an honor guard to act as escort.”

“So? That’s standard procedure to protect a guest of an allied nation.”

“ _Oya,_ I know but it also means that Rapsi will have to stay in the castle and the guards will follow her wherever she goes and...” Talia winced again and shrugged her shoulders. “They will most likely not let you attend the celebration and if they do, well... it is not the kind of attention Yula wants at the party. It will be... _less_ fun.”

“For her especially,” Nahdi chuckled.

“Why for her especially?” Cassandra asked curiously.

The warriors around the campfire began to snicker, some trying to hide it while others simply shook their heads with knowing grins on their faces.

Talia looked helplessly at Nahdi who simply gestured for her to continue. She was the one telling the story, might as well finish it.

“ _Oya,_ Yula served in the honor guard with _jornhedda_ Evannia... ah, princess Evannia,” she added for Rapunzel’s sake, “and knows her quite well.” She paused and both Cassandra and Rapunzel waited for her to continue.

“ _Quite_ well,” Talia emphasized.

“Oh, stars, Yula...” Cassandra said and buried her face in her hands.

“ _Oya_ , you see what I mean! So if you want to attend, you must do so in secret.” Talia then turned to Rapunzel and said with a wink, “This is a stealth mission, Rapsi. Are you up for it?”

“Sounds like fun,” Rapunzel said mischievously.

Talia clapped her hands together then suddenly stood. “In that case, you will need to look like an Ingvarri!” She held out a hand to the princess who took it and rose to her feet. “You will need to discard these clothes and colors for something a bit more... practical. And crimson. If you cannot fight in it and it does not look like blood, an Ingvarri would never wear it! I’ve some spare tunics you can try on, see what fits...”

From atop her shoulder, Pascal turned a helpful shade of red that almost perfectly matched Talia’s shirt.

“ _Oya_ , just like your friend here!” she said with a laugh. “Is perfect, Pasca. You will blend right in.”

Cassandra groaned and buried her face further into her hands. “Sneaking the princess of Corona into Ingvarr under the queen’s nose. What could go wrong?”

*****

Contrary to what Cassandra initially thought, Ingvarr was only a two day’s ride from Valengarr. The training camp was tucked away in the foothills protected and hidden by the blue and green mountains that rose above. According to Nahdi, the legendary Seven Sisters had trained in that exact spot when preparing for their greatest battle and as such it was sacred land and a hallowed honor to follow in their footsteps. Though Cassandra still had much to learn about the Ingvarri lore, she knew that places the Ingvarri considered holy to be extremely strict about who was allowed to enter them and she immediately knew her decision not to take Rapunzel into camp was the right one.

They rode easily cutting through the mountain pass towards the coast. Over verdant green fields they travelled, the wind at their backs pushing them ever forward. Before long the land began to spider web outwards, the channels they created filled with magnificent azure water as the cliffs rose around them.

They were getting closer, Cassandra knew. She had seen it on maps, how the mountains would ascend the closer to the channel they got, the land dotted with towering islands of grassy peaks. The water would disappear into the distance around the many bends of stone, revealing a crystal clear path that led brave travelers to the ocean and adventures beyond.

With a quick glance to her left, Cassandra saw Rapunzel riding comfortably in Max’s saddle, her normal shades of pinks and lavender replaced by the crimson and black of Ingvarr. The tunic was cinched at the waist by a thick leather belt and draped with braided cords that swayed gently with every step Max took. Though the sleeves were a bit voluminous, they had been rolled up so she could hold on to the reigns.

Overall the new clothes were only slightly too big for her but not by much. The princess was roughly Talia’s height but was much smaller in musculature. Still, Talia had done her best to hem them in a way so that they would not be too awkward to move in.

It had actually surprised Cassandra just how skilled the Ingvarri was with a sewing kit but, then again, she supposed she shouldn’t have been. Talia was a medic after all and had practiced more than her fair share of stitches, just of a different nature of course.

Although Rapunzel’s hair was too short for longer braids, Talia still managed a few smaller ones behind her ear and even gave her some of her own steel Ingvarri beads for decoration. Every time the princess tucked away a loose strand of hair, the small decorations would catch the light and sparkle just a bit.

The longer Cassandra gazed at Rapunzel the more a particular feeling in her chest began to rise. Seeing her cast off the Coronan colors and embrace those of Ingvarr spoke to Cassandra in a way words never could. The princess was giving up so much for her and never in her entire life did Cassandra think she would be the one to have it all.

For once there was no mission, no life or death situation, no more running, no more hiding. She was among her sisters, her family, and, perhaps most important of all, Rapunzel was by her side. It was something that was reserved only for heroes in the tales of old; that through a life filled with hardship and sacrifice, Cassandra had beaten the odds and finally got the girl.

 _Is this what it feels like to have everything?_ Cassandra wondered. It was an unfamiliar but not unwelcome feeling and it left her lost in a wonderful daydream of what might yet be...

As her thoughts drifted away into the future, she stared just a bit too long and Rapunzel, sensing eyes upon her, turned. She caught Cassandra’s lingering gaze, noticed the way she watched her, her eyes far away with her tilted head admiringly, longingly at the princess and Rapunzel smiled.

It startled Cassandra in a way it shouldn’t have but her breath stilled and heart began to beat just a bit faster and in a moment of subtle panic she quickly returned her eyes to the path in front of her, her face reddening in embarrassment.

As they crested the final ridge, the sky opened up before them and they looked down and beheld the mighty city of Ingvarr.

Against the backdrop of clear blue skies powerful towers of stone rose into the air atop mountainous peaks that lined the edges of the fjords that surrounded it. The land rose and fell in a sea of earth and stretched across verdant green fields and into the cliffs that held the clear blue waters in its palm. Rapunzel couldn't help but wonder at how _massive_ the city was as her eyes roamed from the hills to the shores to the crest of the ridges that lined them. And there, at the very top...

Giant towers of harshly angled stone gave the castle a strong presence as it looked down on the rest of the city below like a silent guardian. The walls that surrounded the palace were built high and provided a strong base for the towering structures that rose above it, stabbing at the sky with elegantly crafted towers of various heights. It seemed almost impossible for a castle to stand on such a monument yet it did.

It wasn’t much of a palace per se, well... not in the way Corona had a palace, Rapunzel thought. No, this was a _fortress_. Skilled hands had built it in such a way that made the strong angles beautiful like high cheekbones on a regal facade, a clear reflection upon the women who ruled it.

But the most impressive features were the ones that rose above the city itself and from their vantage point, Rapunzel could see them even from this distance. Giant statues surrounding the city, looking up to the heavens, into the mountains, and down at their children below, an eternity of vigilance bestowed upon them. A task they were grateful for after carving out a legacy of warriors.

“Who are they?” Rapunzel asked in awe.

“ _Oya,_ they are the Seven Sisters,” Talia said riding up alongside her. “Legendary warriors and leaders of the seven tribes that eventually became one.” She pointed to the statue in the center, the one holding her mighty spear in hand raised for all her children and any who would threaten them to see. “That is Ingvarra, the first _Freyhedda_ , High Mother, who united the tribes.”

Rapunzel looked upon her fierce visage in wonder.

Strong.

Independent.

A warrior queen.

These women who came together and forged their own paths through blood, sweat, and sheer force of will.

“And the others?” she asked.

“They are her sisters-in-arms,” Talia replied and gestured to each in turn.

“Seiga the Strong.

Ravenica the Fearless.

Voranna the Swift.

Khatia the Relentless.

Hrevka the Loyal, and

Anja the Protector.

Together they are the Storm and we are the Thunder that heralds them.”

They stood around Ingvarra each in a dynamic pose that must have been difficult to carve from the stone but the care and craftsmanship that went into them showed the dedication and reverence to their founding mothers. Rapunzel was completely enthralled at the legacy they had wrought, to have it standing so strongly after all this time. A nation of such strong women in both fighting spirit and their dedication to family and to each other.

Talia noticed the way the princess gazed in awe at the stone statues and smiled. “They are impressive, yes? Each sister embodies the values the Ingvarri hold sacred and live and die by. They are similar to what you would call ‘matron saints’, I believe.

“To call upon one of the Seven Sisters is to enter into a pact,” she continued. “Each has a specific invocation. For example, to call upon Seiga the Strong, you would say _‘Seiga, Sister of Strength of body and mind, grant me your power this day so that I may defeat my enemies with our spirits combined.’_ ” She waved a hand in the air and added, “It sounds much better in Ingvarri, though.”

“Sometimes one of the Seven Sisters chooses you during battle and grants you her blessing,” Nahdi called over her shoulder. “Like Yula. Ravenica blessed her with fearlessness when facing overwhelming odds. When she ascends, High Mother will most likely recognize her for it and allow her the inscription of Ravenica upon her blade.”

It all sounded so exciting that Rapunzel had a million questions but before she could ask a single one of them, a falcon passed by silently overhead. Talia gave it a friendly salute and it circled once then angled away on a powerful current that carried it back towards the city.

“They know we are coming,” Talia announced. Then with a sharp inhale of the salty shores of the fjords that carried on the wind, she smiled. “Welcome home, _rhanvari!”_

It was easy to tell if one was Ingvarri. A simple glance was all it took, really. If one had been through the rigors of Wolf Mother’s camp or had been tested in battle, it showed. The way a woman carried herself, the amount of scars she wore proudly, and the number of weapons at her hip said a great deal indeed.

But despite being able to tell a sister from one who was not, the guards still had a job to do and, like all things sacred to women trained as warriors, they took their duty very seriously.

But it also helped to know a few friends in uniform.

“ _Ishtah,_ Amari!” Talia said happily.

“ _Talllliiiii!”_ replied the very large guard with a towering spear. Their forearms came together with a mighty _thwack!_ and they both smiled widely. “My, how you have grown!” she said. She stared down at her sister several feet shorter than her and was one of the tallest women Cassandra had ever seen, taller than even Yula.

“You say that to everyone, _rhanvar_ , and only because you cannot tell the difference from up there," Talia replied.

Amari smiled and waved a hand through the air. “Not true! I remember when I had to hunch over to rest my arm on you and now I do not have to.” To prove her point, she placed her arm atop Talia’s head like she was leaning on a table.

“You should know by now that when you do that you leave your _middle open_ ,” Talia said then lightly jabbed her friend in the ribs.

Amari flinched and quickly pulled her hand away to rub her side and smiled. “ _Aish!_ Wolf Mother teaches you too many tricks. Speaking of, you still patching up recruits at Valengarr?”

“Yes, but not for long,” she replied with a wink. “A lucky few will get to ascend with Yula this fine day!”

“ _Ai_ , so you are here for her ascension?”

“ _Oya,_ I wouldn’t miss it!” she replied then she turned and gestured to those behind her. “I even brought reinforcements.”

Warm greetings were exchanged as the guards recognized several of their party having either trained with them or served with them at some point during their careers. But when Cassandra and Rapunzel stepped up, Talia took it upon herself to introduce them.

“Cassa _rhan yr_ _Ingvarr_ _e_ Rapsi _et jorna_.”

Cassandra suddenly coughed but Talia ignore her. Amari cast her a questioning glance then held out an arm. Cassandra took it and the larger woman smiled at her.

“Welcome home, _rhanvar.”_ Then she turned and nodded to Rapunzel. “ _Ishtah,_ Rapsi _._ Give my best to Yula. _”_

The moment they passed through the checkpoint Cassandra stared daggers at Talia.

“ _Talia!_ ” she said sharply.

<“What?”> her friend replied nonchalantly in Ingvarri. <“Not like I can introduce her as the princess of Corona.”>

<“You could’ve said she was my sister, or friend, or... or...!”>

Talia cast her a dubious glance. <“Does she _look_ like your sister? Even if she was a foundling, she is clearly not Ingvarri. You’re lucky I am a good liar.”>

<“No, you’re not! You’re a terrible liar!”>

<“It worked, did it not?”> Talia smirked then turned away.

Cassandra began to blush and looked for all the world like she was going to throttle her friend.

“So that was fun,” Rapunzel said sneaking up beside her. “I’ve never been introduced in Ingvarri before. What did Talia say?”

“What? Nothing! She said you were my sister.”

“I thought _rhanvar_ was sister?”

“It is. It... is,” Cassandra said slowly and the red in her face deepened.

“Cass...” Rapunzel smiled, “what does _et jorna_ mean?”

“Just... you know, friends...”

“ _Oya,_ I said you were married,” Talia said simply throwing a hand over her shoulder.

“ _Talia!”_

“What? I’m five steps in front of you, Cassa. I can hear everything you’re saying,” Talia said casually. “It got Rapsi though the gates without the High Mother knowing so no need to thank me.”

She cast a quick glance behind her and watched as both Cassandra and Rapunzel looked bashfully away from each other. A soft smile blossomed on the princess’s face as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and Cassandra, oh, Cassa simply couldn’t keep the embarrassment off her face.

Talia rolled her eyes and muttered to herself, “ _Oya,_ like dealing with teenagers. Seiga give me strength...”

*****

Once they were though the outer gate, the party split. While Nahdi went with Detalla and the others to prepare themselves for the ceremony, Talia took Cassandra and Rapunzel through town. The sounds of hammering steel and the general cacophony of a myriad of conversations filled the air and quickly became the national song of Ingvarr. Approaching from the land side through the mountains, this part of the city was bustling with smiths and crafts while on the other side towards the fjords were the docks filled with fishing vessels and trade goods.

The capital was, well... _massive_. Or at least it seemed that way to Rapunzel. She hadn’t had much experience with any of the Seven Kingdoms outside of meeting with a few royal representatives now and then but it was always within the walls of Corona. Never before had she actually visited them in their homeland and to do so now made her realize just how small Corona actually was.

A curious scent suddenly carried past on a warm breeze and Rapunzel caught an aroma unlike anything she had ever smelled before.

“What is _that?”_ she asked curiously, following the aroma towards an open seated eating area.

“Meat pies with Ingvarri spices,” Cassandra said. “Ah, they’re so good, Raps! I--”

“No nonono!” Talia said, pushing her friends along. “ _Amma_ Sanna will be quite upset if you eat now and ruin your appetite!”

“Who’s _Amma_ Sanna?” the princess asked.

“The mother of Yula’s mother,” Talia explained. “You would call her, ah... grandmother. She takes care of Yula’s son while she is in the field but they are all staying with _Amma_ Sanna while she is in town. But she does not just care of Yula’s son but some of the other _beybonrhari_ as well. She is _Amma_ to us all and will feed you well, not to worry!”

It was a concept Rapunzel had heard of but never experienced herself, this sense of shared responsibility and community that extended even to caretaking.

“Is she Yula’s biological grandmother?” she asked curiously. But it was immediately after the question escaped her mouth she wondered if it was an offensive thing to ask.

But Talia smiled warmly at her and replied, “Yes, but such things matter little to Ingvarri. Bonds are made by deeds, not by blood, Rapsi. One has a family here no matter their history so long as they promise to respect one another.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend...” the princess began but Talia waved her words away.

“There is no offense. I understand where you come from, Rapsi. How the families and leaders are decided by blood. We do not do that which is why Ingvarr seems strange to some. What holds true for our families holds true for our leaders as well. The title of _Freyhedda_ is not passed down through blood but rather through her actions on and off the battlefield. Though her blood daughters legally hold the title of princess, or _jornhedda,_ it means nothing if they cannot prove themselves worthy of succeeding their mother.”

Worth. Not blood.

If it had been the same within the other kingdoms, would Rapunzel be worthy to succeed her mother and father? It was a thought that tugged at the core of her identity and would not let go. Back before the journey to the Dark Kingdom, back when everything was, well... _normal_ , Rapunzel had been so sure that everything she had done was in the best interest of her people. Even afterwards she had been confident that it was all meant to be that way, that she would one day be queen with Eugene at her side as king and they would live happily ever after in Corona.

But now...

Now she wasn’t so sure. Life had taken her in a different direction and she had decided to leave Corona, her duties, her responsibilities as princess for... She suddenly found herself gazing at Cassandra. In her heart she knew she had done the right thing but...

Rapunzel looked down at herself wearing the crimson colors of Ingvarr and touched the few strands of hair braided and decorated in a style that was so unlike those back in Corona.

A sudden sense of homesickness filled her and with it an undeniable wave of melancholy. It was nothing new, she had felt this way before but the difference this time was knowing that she couldn’t so easily go home.

A trill on her shoulder caused her to turn and she smiled and reached up to pet Pascal under the chin. Sometimes even the smallest reminders of home were enough.

Talia’s words echoed in her mind...

_One has a family here no matter their history so long as they promise to respect one another._

Rapunzel suddenly thought of Eugene and her father... how she had desperately tried to convince them both of this very fact that was so engrained into this strange new culture she found herself in. Why was it so hard for them to accept Cassandra? The magic in her blood didn't define her, it was her deeds that showed the world just how brave and loyal and wonderful she really was. Why couldn't they see that?

The princess let the thought drift from her mind. Now was not the time to worry about such things. 

She had a new family to meet.

_Amma_ Sanna’s residence was a curious building. On the outside, it appeared to have once been a tavern or inn of some kind that had been modified into a more permanent residence. Considering what Talia had said, however, Rapunzel supposed it made sense. If the older woman acted as surrogate caretaker to many of Ingvarr’s children, one would need appropriate accommodations to do so.

But there was another reason. Talia explained that most Ingvarri did not get to live to see their hair turn white unless they were especially skilled warriors and _Amma_ Sanna while certainly no exception, the High Mother of Ingvarr rewarded her winter haired daughters well for their service and tenacity with homes to match.

They lingered on the threshold and Talia raised her hands for them to keep quiet and, adamant about maintaining the element of surprise, she instructed Cassandra and Rapunzel to wait out of sight on either side of the door.

Rapunzel expected the Ingvarri to knock but instead Talia brazenly pushed the door open then strode confidently inside and spread her arms wide. “ _Bjorn-ba!”_

 _“Liiiiiii!”_

There was the hurried pattering of tiny feet as the toddler jumped into Talia’s outstretched arms. She lifted him easily off the ground and spun him around and he erupted into a fit of giggles.

“ _Oya_! Look how big you have gotten!” she said, putting him back down. “You will be as tall as your mother before long!”

“We can only hope,” Yula laughed coming from around the corner wiping her hands on a rag. “Right, _beybonrhar_?” She ruffled her son’s sandy colored hair.

Yula held out her arm and Talia grasped it but then the taller warrior pulled her into a hug.

“Thank you for coming, Tali,” she said. “It means a lot that you are here.”

“ _Oya_ , but I am not alone!” Talia replied with a sly smile. “Nahdi and the others are preparing for tonight and I have a special guest with me." She poked her head through the doorway and held out a hand then pulled Rapunzel inside. “My good friend, Rapsi. Rapsi, this is elder sister Yula, Fearless Blade of Ingvarr and soon to be Commander of High Mother’s newest squad!”

"Just 'Yula', is fine," the woman laughed then held out her arm. “ _Ishtah, Rapsi_.”

Rapunzel took it and awkwardly shook it. “Nice to meet you, Yula. Oh, and this is Pascal!” The chameleon gave a quick chirp and changed to a pleasant shade of pinkish red.

“Such strange company you keep,” Yula said eyeing Pascal curiously.

“ _Oya,_ you have no idea,” Talia said rolling her eyes. “Which brings me to my _other_ surprise, _rhanvar.”_

From behind the doorway Talia reached out and tugged Cassandra inside.

It had been almost a year since Cassandra had seen her elder sister last but not much about her had changed. Her hair had grown a bit longer but was tied back in the familiar braids she favored. The dark tattoos along her midsection were the same with perhaps a few new embellishments that reached around to wrap along the lower part of her back.

Upon seeing Cassandra, the polite smile she had cast Rapunzel suddenly blossomed into a fully genuine grin. “ _Aish, vdyr Syv Rhanvari!”_

With a slight cringe, Cassandra knew what was coming next and was powerless to stop it. The tall woman wrapped her in a giant hug, pinning her arms to her side and lifted her off the ground.

“There is my mighty little _rhanvar!_ ” Yula said then put Cassandra down. “How I have missed you, Cassa.”

Rapunzel put a hand to her mouth to hide her barely contained laughter. “Mighty” and “little” were not words that came to mind when one described Cassandra.

Though Cassandra had trained with her, it was easy to forget how tall the Ingvarri actually was. Well over six feet, she towered over the other women and was a full head and a half over Cassandra herself. Yet she knew that there were others even larger than her.

“It’s good to see you again, Yula. Congratulations on your rank ascension,” Cassandra said and grasped her arm. “I alway knew you were one hell of a leader, if not a bit clumsy when it comes to letting a _kierlan feylahn_ wrestle the air out of you.”

Yula laughed, rubbing her throat in remembrance. “You were not much of a _kierlan_ then but it is a lesson I will not soon forget.”

Tiny arm wrapped around the Ingvarri’s legs and Yula put a hand on her son’s head. “This is my son, Bjorn,” she explained then looked down at the toddler. “It’s okay, _beybonrhar._ They are family.”

He looked cautiously up at the newcomers but otherwise stayed by his mother’s side.

Rapunzel squatted down and gave him her warmest smile. “Hi, Bjorn. I’m Rapun... ah, Rapsi.”

The toddler looked at her curiously with his big brown eyes. “Your braids are pretty,” he said suddenly.

“Thank you,” Rapunzel said reaching up behind her ear and gently ran her hands over them. “Talia did them for me. Did your mother do yours?”

Bjorn smiled and grabbed the one that ran down the back of his head.

“Can I see the beads?”

The boy nodded and showed Rapunzel the end of the braid where a series of colored beads were woven into his hair.

“Ah, they’re so pretty! I love this one. Purple is my favorite color,” she said.

“Mine is orange,” Bjorn said with a shy grin.

Yula ruffled her son’s hair then began to move hurriedly about the room. “ _Aish!_ I almost forgot! Cassa since you are here you must be in my ascension honor squad! We will need to find you a uniform and--”

“ _Oya,_ a great idea, Yula. Perhaps you can get _jornhedda_ Evannia to let you borrow one...”

Yula threw a bag at her. “ _Shash,_ _Tali!_ ”

“What?” Talia said innocently, a mischievous smile crossing her lips. “The entire battalion knows.”

“But High Mother _does not_ and I would like to keep it that way! _Vdyr Syv Rhanvari_ , I keep forgetting things! I need to have my sword sharpened and polished before the ceremony. _Rhanvari,_ I need you to watch Bjorn for a hour while I am gone.”

“Wait, what?” Cassandra said but Talia interrupted her.

“ _Oya,_ Yula! I want to go find Orli,” her friend complained.

“Then you are in luck! She is with _Amma_ Sanna in the fields. Besides, we are all _rhanvari_ so, in a way, he is your son too!” Yula called over her shoulder and kissed her son lightly on the head before stepping out the door.

Talia had her mouth open to argue but she was already gone.

“ _Oya_ , she _always_ uses that excuse!” she huffed. “Perhaps I should raise ten _feylahni_ then have her watch them all!”

Bjorn ran past her and she scooped him up in her arms. “Come here little _beybonrhar_!” The toddler laughed as Talia spun him around. “What sound does the mighty lion of Ingvarr make?”

“ _Gwarrr_!” He squealed scrunching his fingers like claws.

“That’s right! Little _beybonRAWR!”_ She also curled her fingers then tickled him in the stomach. “I guess we are going to the fields! _Savrae!_ ”

From the name, Rapunzel had assumed “the fields” were those of wheat or wide open plains similar to the ones back home. But she soon learned that the words the Ingvarri used had a much different meaning. Outside the bustling city center nestled in the nook of the low lying lands was a majestic landscape of green where makeshift fences stood at the far side of the hill and held an impressive array of staffs and shields. With Bjorn riding atop Talia's shoulders the grass brushed against their ankles as they walked up the slope until they came up the training grounds. 

The solid _thwack!_ of wood echoed in the air as they crested the ridge and saw a white haired maiden facing off against a very determined looking young girl. 

“ _Myn_ _rhanvarla,_ little sister, Orli,” Tali said with an air of pride.

Whereas _Amma_ Sanna was all smiles as she faced down the young girl, Orli was all seriousness. Wiry and lean, she moved easily across the grass on feet that barely made a sound. She twirled the staff before her then lunged, one end lashing out which the older woman caught easily. The girl brought the other end up and around in an attempt at a counterattack but that, too, was easily deflected. All the while _Amma_ Sanna kept smiling.

Suddenly Orli turned and planted the butt of the staff in the ground and attempted to vault herself at the woman who simply moved to her left and out of the way.

“Where did you learn such a foolish move?” _Amma_ Sanna laughed. “If you saw one of the other initiates use it, tell me which one so I heckle her roundly!”

But instead of replying, Orli dropped low and turned her failed leap into a sweep... or at least she attempted to. _Amma_ Sanna planted her own staff into the ground near her ankle and caught the blow.

“Too slow _,_ ” she said, then kicked her own weapon out, knocking Orli’s wide and catching her under the leg. With a surprised shout, she toppled over and fell onto her rear.

Orli quickly got to her feet as the older woman approached her _Amma_ Sanna held up a hand in peace. “Rest, Orli.”

The tenseness in the girl’s shoulders eased and she placed the end of her staff on the ground.

It was then that Talia eased Bjorn off her shoulders and put a finger to her lips signaling for them all to be quiet. Rapunzel suddenly felt tiny fingers wrap around her hand as the toddler reached for her and smiled as they watched Talia sneak away towards her younger sister.

With her back turned, Orli was oblivious to the red haired menace with a mischievous grin sneaking up behind her. To her credit, _Amma_ Sanna did not even shift her gaze as Talia approached allowing the Ingvarri the ultimate element of surprise.

In one swift motion, Talia wrapped her arms around her younger sister who nearly jumped out of her skin. The smaller girl recovered quickly, however, and tried to grab her attacker and throw her. Ah, but the wiry girl had neither the leverage nor the height and her shorter arms grasped wildly for purchase.

“ _Nej._ Nope,” Talia commented as she batted her hands away with each word. “ _Oya_ , I’ve been shot with a paralyzing dart!” she said suddenly and let gravity slowly take over. She slumped onto her sister weighing her down more and more with each passing moment.

“ _Oya! Tali_!”

But the smaller girl was no match for her older sister. Talia suddenly put all of her weight on Orli yet in an impressive display of strength, the young Ingvarri kept standing. But soon she slowly fell to her knees with Talia wrapped around her like a very heavy, very annoying cloak. With one final attempt to break free, Orli tried to raise her arms but the movement caused Talia's weight to shift and with a startled yelp, the young girl fell forward onto the grass.

"Tali!" came her muffled voice.

Once Talia rolled slightly to the side, Orli wiggled out from underneath her but not before her older sister wrapped her arms around her in a hug. Orli struggled against her grasp but broke out into laughter.

“Tali _ahhhhhh_!”

“ _Myn rhanvarla!”_ Talia exclaimed and pulled her closer.

 _Amma_ Sanna leaned easily against her staff and smiled. “Had I known you were coming so soon, Talia, we would have stayed at the house.”

Orli was finally able to break her sister’s embrace and roll away, scrambling quickly to her feet.

Talia rose much more slowly and clasped the elder woman’s forearm.

“I’ve missed you, _Amma_ ,” she said.

“And I you, _rhan_. But I see you are not alone. _Bjorn-ba!”_

Bjorn ran to his grandmother and she bend down and gathered him up in her arm that were just as strong as the day she left the training camp.

“ _Oya!_ This is Cassa _rhan yr Ingvarr_ and her _friend_ , Rapsi.”

The special emphasis on the word was not lost on Cassandra and she knew Talia had meant it not to be. Still, it was much more preferred than _other_ terms.

“Welcome home, _rhanvar_ ,” _Amma_ Sanna said grabbing Cassandra’s forearm. “You too _,_ Rapsi. Welcome home.”

“Thank you,” Rapunzel said holding out a polite hand. It was with curiosity that the white haired maiden glanced at it but then she wrapped her hand around her arm and Rapunzel gave it a hearty shake and a giant yet slightly amused smile crossed the older woman’s face.

“And this,” Talia said and hooked an arm around the neck of the wiry girl beside her, “is Orli, _myn rhanvarla_ _."_

Just like her _Amma_ Sanna, Orli thrust out her hand and grasped Cassandra’s forearm mightily. With the pressure she was exerting, Cassandra could tell she was trying to impress her and it made her smirk. While strength was not everything there was to being a warrior, respect certainly was.

“ _Ishtah,_ Orli,” she said.

She must be close to twelve, Cassandra figured, though she was never good at guessing people’s ages. But based on what Talia had told her that her sister would be joining her at the training camp in a few years, she had to have been less than fourteen.

Of course she looked nothing like her older sister. Orli was a foundling just like Talia was, one who just happened to get lucky and end up in a family with such an amazing supportive sister. Talia hadn’t told Cassandra much about the circumstances of how she met her adopted sister but if it was anything like all the others she heard about foundlings, it most likely was a story of death, violence, survival, and, of course, hope.

The girl was lean, a bit skinny, and short, barely coming up to Talia’s shoulders but Cassandra supposed she was still growing. Her messy golden hair was not tied back in the familiar braids close to her head like Cassandra had seen on so many others but rather was a series of several smaller braids that hung loosely from the back and sides the tips of which were dyed a bright orange.

“I know you,” Orli said eyeing Cassandra curiously. “Tali talks about you. Well, more like she complains about you. I think the term she used was _dolveg_...”

With lightning speed a hand shot out and covered her mouth and Talia smiled her best innocent smile as _Amma_ Sanna burst into laughter.

“Oh, _really?”_ Cassandra said and crossed her arms over her chest.

“ _Orli!_ _Shash!”_ Talia chided then with nervous laughter added, “She has... _such_ an imagination...”

The girl pulled the hand away from her mouth. “What? You call Nahdi that too.”

Cassandra narrowed her eyes amusingly at her friend. “And here I thought I was special.”

“What’s a _dolveg_?” Rapunzel asked.

“Nothing flattering,” Cassandra replied raising an eyebrow at her Ingvarri sister.

“ _Oya,_ we will teach you some Ingvarri, Rapsi,” Talia said grabbing the princess’s arm glad for the distraction. “But not that word. I don’t know _where_ Orli heard that from! Besides, I am surprised Cassa has not already done so. What, Cassa? Don’t you want Rapsi to know what we are talking about?”

Cassandra opened her mouth with a sharp remark on the tip of her tongue but suddenly Talia, master of deflection, shifted gears.

“ _Amma,_ they smelled the food in the market and they hunger. Is there any _krostbord_ or _jorgsstadt?_ ”

“Enough for a battalion,” _Amma_ Sanna replied. “There should be plenty for the celebration tonight unless you eat it all now, Talia.”

“Not me but this one...” Talia said and playfully poked Orli in the ribs, “she might! Come on, _kierlan!_ I’ll race you back!”

The stark indignation of Cassandra’s face would have been laughable had she not been so serious.

“Don’t think you’re getting away that easily, Talia!” Cassandra shouted after her. ‘Tal... _ugggghhh!”_

*****

As enticing as the aromas in the market were, Talia was right; the food was well worth the wait. When Rapunzel bit into the warm meat pie she had not expected the layer of jam hidden underneath the flaky outer crust creating a wonderful mixture of sweet and savory unlike she had ever tasted before.

“The markets do not make them as _Amma_ does,” Talia explained as Rapunzel closed her eyes and relished the flavors on her tongue. “They do not put the jam on the inside.”

“Which is why mine are better!” _Amma_ Sanna called from the back room.

“I know, _Amma!_ That is why I made them wait,” Talia said throwing the words casually over her shoulder then she rose and rustled Orli’s hair. “Come on, _rhanvarla_. Finish that quick. We have to go.”

It amazed Rapunzel that for a girl so small, she certainly ate quite a bit. The entire surface of her plate was covered with food; two meat pies, a generous helping of _krostbord_ and three rolls of bread... and she was on her third helping.

With a mouthful of food, Orli looked up at her sister and gestured to her plate silently asking how she was to manage such a feat in such a short amount of time.

“Quick quick!” Talia urged spinning her hand in the air. “ _Oya,_ I do not know how you can eat so much and still be a _kierlan_. _Savrae!”_

“Just take the plate, Orli,” _Amma_ Sanna chuckled coming around the corner.

The young girl rose from her chair with her dish, plucked two more rolls from the table, shoved one in her mouth to carry it, and made for the door as Talia shooed her out.

Turning back to the table, Talia said to Rapunzel and Cassandra, “Yula will be back soon and the rest of us will meet you here. After that it is a few hours at the castle for the ceremony and--”

“Wait, Talia, I have no idea what I’m supposed to do at this ceremony,” Cassandra interrupted but her friend waved her comment away.

“ _Oya,_ do not worry! Just...” Talia took Cassandra by the arm and lifted her from her seat and pulled her away from the table. With quick hands, she nudged Cassandra’s shoulders back, kicked at her boot to make her take a slight step backwards, then lifted her hand and placed it on her knife resting at her hip.

“There!” Talia announced admiring her handiwork. “That is all you have to do! Stand there, look formidable, and yes, frown like you are frowning now. Is perfect, Cassa. Well done.”

Rapunzel put a hand to her mouth to hide her smile but she couldn’t contain the traitorous laughter that escaped her lips.

Talia turned to the princess and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I am sorry, Rapsi, but you must stay here until we return.” Then in a much more spirited tone added, “But you are not missing much. The ritual is the boring part. It is the _party_ where the fun will be!”

“Stealth mission,” Rapunzel nodded.

Taking a few steps backwards, Talia pointed at her and winked. “ _Oya,_ _tor est myn meila!_ Mission first, spoken like a true Ingvarri! She is a keeper, Cassa!”

Then with a parting salute she was out the door.

Rapunzel had no idea what to expect but the way Talia and the others talked about it, she couldn’t help but feel excited. It seemed like very air around them was buzzing and it filled her with so much joy she couldn’t help but smile.

There was laughter behind them and both Rapunzel and Cassandra turned to see _Amma_ Sanna shaking her head. 

“ _Ai,_ Tali. One of a kind, she is." The older woman chuckled again. "Now that the battalion is fed let me show you where you will be staying,” she said and gestured them to follow.

A set of stairs led to the second floor and opened out into a vast space. It was quite the room; the space stretched the entire length of the house and was tapered at the top with a few windows set expertly into the wood. It was modestly furnished with a bed, a table near the window and a few trunks and crates with, of course, a single battered shield and more than a few weapons that lay scattered against the wall.

“It is used mostly for storage but is a little less cramped than the rooms downstairs,” _Amma_ Sanna explained.

“Thank you,” Cassandra said. “This is... too generous.”

The snowy haired Ingavarri put a strong hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle shake. “You are honored guests of Yula and you are welcome to stay as long as you need to.”

With one final hearty pat, she descended the steps.

Cassandra threw her gear bag down beside the bed as Rapunzel moved around the room. As the princess passed by the window, Pascal skittered down from her shoulder and he sat upon the sill and peered out at the street below.

“Better than being stuck in the stronghold with the High Mother, don’t you think?” Cassandra said as she shrugged off her scabbard and leaned it against the wall. When Rapunzel didn't respond Cassandra looked up and watched her wander around the space lit by the muted light of the sun that cast golden rays through the windows. It reflected off the array of metal that stood gathering dust and Rapunzel’s hand lingered on the edge of the shield against the wall, her fingers tracing the scars upon its facade.

“What’s wrong?” Cassandra asked.

Rapunzel shook her head. “Nothing. Nothing’s wrong. It’s just all so...” She took a deep breath but it was not that of a heavy heart but rather one of unburdened shoulders and a sense of wonder. “I can’t even... This. Ingvarr. These people... They don’t even know me, Cass, and yet they make it feel like I’ve been here all along.”

Cassandra smiled. “Sometimes I think Talia is way too charming for her own good.”

Rapunzel suddenly stepped towards her and lifted her hands with a warm smile upon her face.

“It’s not just her, though. Everyone’s welcoming me home even though I’ve never stepped foot here before and... and...” The rest of the words simply would not come overwhelmed as she was by the sheer feeling of it all.

“I know what you mean, Raps,” Cassandra said softly and chuckled. “But that’s just how they are.”

Even still, they had accepted her, a stranger, an outsider, without question and gave her clothes, fed her, let her have the largest room in their home, and patted her on the back like she was a beloved member of the family who had just returned from a long journey. They didn’t know her. Didn’t know her past. Didn’t know what mistakes she had made or where she had come from.

But it didn’t matter to them.

None of it did.

It was what Rapunzel had been trying to tell her father all along.

How different life in Ingvarr was from that inside the walls of Corona. But what moved her the most was that she wasn’t even a princess here; the kind words and hot meals weren’t because of her status or how royal her blood was. No, to these people she was just another member of the family no matter where she came from or what she was.

It was the glaring difference between Ingvarr and Corona that made her pause and reassess what things like family actually meant and as she gazed upon Cassandra, Rapunzel started to understand.

No wonder Cassandra had been so uncomfortable in Corona. How difficult it must have been for her to wander the halls knowing that the mistakes of her past were a weapon that could strike at her around each corner she took. Those confusing moments when she had retreated into herself suddenly began to make sense to Rapunzel. The worry, the fear, the judgement. It weighed heavily upon her and the princess knew Corona would never be a place where she could find peace.

But she could here.

Cassandra could be herself. She could be free and Rapunzel realized that she could be too.

She took a step closer and felt those strong arms slip around her. Cass was a completely different person here. The confidence, the level of comfort, the way she relaxed her guard... she was happy. At ease. It was everything Rapunzel had wished for her and more and as the princess brushed a rogue curl from her brow, she finally got to see the real Cassandra.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” she whispered.

“I only wish I had done so sooner,” Cassandra replied. She leaned forward just as the princess closed her eyes, their lips brushing together ever so slightly before Rapunzel wrapped her mouth around hers. Gentle fingertips caressed the side of Cassandra's face and traced the path of the scar along her jaw and set her world on fire.

Her hand began to slid down to the small of Rapunzel’s back and...

“Cassa! Rapsi!” _Amma_ Sanna called up the stairs. “I have some desert and _kafka_ for you! Come! Eat! You are both much too skinny!”

Rapunzel smiled against Cassandra's cheek and put a hand on her chest.

“Talia wasn’t kidding,” the princess laughed. “Guess we won’t be going hungry here.”

But instead of replying, Cassandra turned Rapunzel's chin towards her and suddenly captured her lips once again, the passion of which stole the breath from the princess's lungs. With one last dip of her jaw, Cassandra brushed her bottom lip with her own and Rapunzel wondered where that drive of such intense inspiration had come from. 

“We have everything we need here, Raps," Cassandra said softly. "We can stay here for as long as we want. No more running. No more hiding."

Rapunzel pressed her own lips together, the taste of the kiss lingering, tingling, telling her it had been too brief and as she gazed at Cassandra's mouth she wondered if she could make her glow...

"I think I might take you up on that," Rapunzel replied leaning in again. 

"Cassa! Rapsi! _Kafka!" Amma_ Sanna called again.

With a defeated smile, Rapunzel leaned her head against Cassandra's shoulder. "I think we'd better go get some _kafka_ before she decides to come up here."

"I think so, too."

Cassandra held out her hand to the princess and together they descended the steps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you know, I had no plans to write a sequel to Shards so when I found out that I needed to create an entire culture for Ingvarr I had no freaking clue where to begin.  
> The first thing I did was flip shit.  
> The second thing I did was laugh manically at the blank page before me and all the things that had yet to be placed upon it.  
> The third thing I did was pound down four cups of coffee then got to work.
> 
> When I began writing up the narrative map, I knew that Ingvarr itself was going to be an integral part of the story and to make it a believable and immersive world, the culture had to have depth. So I researched the hell out of everything I could find about warrior women cultures like the Amazons, Valkyries, and Frigga’s Handmaidens and even pulled from my own life experiences being surrounded by strong women who helped me through life (namely my martial arts and Crossfit sisters who constructively kicked my ass on a regular basis and my one trainer who took me out in 110F weather for extreme conditioning and told me “not to die”).
> 
> While I was doing all this research, I also went back and reread Shards and noticed I snuck in the smallest of details. In Chapter 20 Talia said “I swear to the Seven Sisters…” and I wondered what possessed me to add that. It sounded cool and it added a little more authenticity to Talia’s culture but more importantly it opened a door and I began to wonder who these Seven Sisters were, why Talia would say such a thing, and what did they mean to the Ingvarri.
> 
> That one single sentence is how the entire lore of Ingvarr was created. 
> 
> Ah, I also inadvertently created an entire language for Ingvarr that is currently over 70+ words and phrases XD  
> Ingvarri Terms:
> 
> Amma - Grandmother  
> Beybonrhar - Little one. Term of endearment for a child  
> Dolveg - Ingvarri version of "herbo" (female version of "himbo")... a woman who is attractive and strong while also being a bit of an idiot  
> Ishtah - Traditional Ingvarri greeting  
> Kierlan - Thin person, beanpole  
> Rhanvar - Sister  
> Rhanvarla - Little sister  
> Shash! - Shush!  
> Savrae! - Let's go!  
> “Vdyr Syv Rhanvari!” - “By the Seven Sisters!” (Exclamation of surprise)


	9. Ascension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big drunk Ingvarri party (૭ ◉༬◉)૭⁾⁾⁾⁾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Uniform / Getting Ready to Ascend - “The Irish Are Coming” by Lorne Balfe  
> Yula’s Ascension - “The Chosen” by Mark Petrie / "Dogs of War: Main Title" by Christopher Lennertz  
> Yula’s Seventh - “Jedi Eulogy” by Kevin Kiner, Takeshi Furukawa / “Champions” by Inon Zur  
> Ingvarri Celebration - “The Irish Are Coming” by Lorne Balfe  
> The Effect of an Ingvarri Uniform - “Serious Love” by Anya Marina

With only an hour left to go before the ceremony, Yula burst through the door of the house in a rush and quickly became a whirlwind of movement. First she placed her newly sharpened and polished sword on the table then threw a bag at Cassandra which hit her square in the gut then she turned, sidestepping a chair, picked up Bjorn, and took the other bag into the back room with her before Cassandra could say a word.

“Wait! Yula, what’s this?” Cassandra asked.

“Your uniform, _rhanvar!”_ Yula called from the other room. “Get ready! We cannot be late!”

Cassandra untied the strings and peeked inside and saw the familiar crimson and black colors of Ingvarr but instead of the standard tunics and light armor these were cut in perfect crisp patterns. It dawned on Cassandra that she had never seen an Ingvarri dress uniform before and these were, well... quite impressive.

“ _Aish,_ what are you waiting for!” Yula said peering around the corner and waving her hands at her sister. “Change! Now! Go go!”

“You better do what she says, Cass,” Rapunzel grinned.

With a helpless look at the princess, Cassandra shrugged and quickly made her way up the stairs.

“Rapsi, you are not going with?” _Amma_ Sanna asked as she leaned easily against one of the support beams of the wall.

Rapunzel settled into the chair at the table beside her and brushed a lock of hair from her eyes.

“No, I--”

Well... she couldn’t quite say it was because she didn’t want the queen to know that she was in the city. Although Rapunzel trusted Talia to keep her secret, she wasn’t sure how many other Ingvarri knew and what would happen if word were to get back to the High Mother. The last thing she wanted was for Cassandra and her friends to get in trouble.

“I’m staying behind,” the princess said instead. “But I’ll be joining the party afterwards.”

“ _Ai,_ You are in for a treat, then!” _Amma_ Sanna said. “All the blades have been sharpened for this evening and there will be so many events to watch. The battles to the death are my favorite! Quite the entertainment!”

Rapunzel suddenly felt all the color drain from her face. Surely her ears were playing tricks on her. Cassandra never mentioned anything about _death battles_ and she wondered if Cass didn’t know. Or what if she _did_ know and...??

With one look at her face, the old woman burst into laughter and that same warm grandmotherly smile crossed her lips once more. “I jest! You are not from Ingvarr, are you, _feylahn?”_

“It’s, uh... my first time here,” Rapunzel said as she let our a breath of relief.

“It is okay. Some never get to see Ingvarr. You are one of the lucky ones,” _Amma_ Sanna said with a sad smile then put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“ _Amma!”_ Yula called from the back room.

With a final pat, the older woman went to go help her granddaughter.

“ _Whew_! Pascal, for a moment I thought she was serious about that death battle,” the princess confessed with a heavy sigh. A few clicks and a low whistle showed Pascal felt the same way. There was a noise from above and Rapunzel’s eyes followed the sound of footsteps across the floorboards.

Moments later, she heard the heavy tread of boots coming down the stairs then Cassandra descended the last step and stood before the princess.

And suddenly Rapunzel forgot how to breathe.

The uniform was mostly crimson with black accents but unlike any Rapunzel had seen before. Instead of the boxy standard military cut she was used to seeing on the Royal Guard, the jacket of the Ingvarri uniform was shaped into a sleek “V” shaped pattern that tapered down to the midsection in a very flattering way. Layers of different shades of red peeked out underneath woven together in a way that created a sort of gradient array ranging from light red to a deep crimson it was almost black.

A long length of cloth was draped over Cassandra’s left shoulder atop a modest pauldron and cascaded down her back like a deep black waterfall. Upon the area where the clasp met the fabric hung different lengths of braided silk cords each were marked with different beads of silver and gold that caught the light in a magnificent way.

A thick black sash was draped across her middle but the way Cassandra wore it, it dipped down in favor of her left side where her long knife lay sheathed and resting comfortably. The asymmetrical flair in which she bore it made her seem that much more roguish when she moved, the belt dropping dangerously low past her hip.

Below that were pants that were light, almost cream in color, which contrasted sharply with the calf high dark leather boots around her feet.

It took Rapunzel a moment to take everything in but when she did it left her simply... speechless. Cassandra wore it well, the dark uniform against her light skin and raven colored hair gave her a regal air. Formidable. Powerful. And when she met Rapunzel’s eyes with an awkward smile across her lips the princess was taken aback by how incredibly handsome she looked.

“What do you think?” Cassandra asked, tugging on the front of the jacket with hands covered in crisp leather gloves.

A sharp trill from Pascal showed that he approved and Rapunzel...

“Cassandra,” she breathed. “You look... amazing.” Rising from her seat, she took a few steps forward and put her hands on Cassandra’s shoulders then slid them down her arms feeling the fabric and the muscles underneath. Her gaze swept over her as she copied every detail in her mind, every color, every shape, every angle... Whenever she had some time, she would paint this memory in her journal already knowing what the caption would say: _“This was the moment I...”_

“ _Oya_ , Cassa! Look at you! A true warrior of Ingvarr!” Talia said as she walked through the door with Nahdi and Detalla all in matching attire.

“ _Aish_ , your shoulder cape is inside out!” Nahdi teased and turned Cassandra around to fix it.

“And your sash is drooping, _rhanvar_ ,” Detalla added making absolutely no move to assist.

“No time! _Krestah drongar!”_ Talia said clapping her hands. “Yula!”

“I am here!” she called and emerged from the back room right behind _Amma_ Sanna who was carrying Bjorn in her arms. Yula gave her son a kiss on the forehead then rushed forward to meet with her sisters.

“Time to ascend, Yula!” Nahdi said slapping her on the back. “ _Seij hreda, rhanvari!”_

“ _Seij hreda!”_ the others chanted in unison then they began to file out the door.

Cassandra turned to Rapunzel. “You going to be okay here?”

“I’ll be fine,” the princess replied. “I wish I could go with you but... well, stealth mission and all.”

“It’ll only be for a few hours and I’ll come get you right afterwards for the party,” Cassandra said with a smile.

Just as she turned to go, Rapunzel grabbed her hand and pulled her into a kiss. She could feel how the suddenness of it caught Cassandra by surprise, how unprepared she was to feel their lips pressed together. But once she got over the initial shock, she felt Cassandra lean into her. Her hand reached up and wrapped around the side of her face, moved towards the nape of her neck and...

“Cassa! Make out later! _Savrae_!” Talia said from the doorway waving her forward.

It was pure embarrassment that startled Cassandra out of the kiss and she pulled away wide eyed and very aware that her Ingvarri sisters were watching her.

“You should go,” Rapunzel laughed placing a hand lightly on her uniformed chest. “Don’t want to be late.”

“Right,” Cassandra replied reluctantly slipping out of the princess’s grasp. Their fingertips lingering against each others in the air for a precious few seconds more. “A few hours! I’ll be back.” And she made her way to the door.

 _“Cassa! Se-Yula rykr!” Amma_ Sanna called after her.

Cassandra suddenly spun and grabbed Yula’s sword from the table then scrambled out the doorway with Talia pushing her from behind.

*****

It was easy to think that one's small corner of the world was enough of a sample to gauge the rest of the universe by, but as Cassandra walked with the rest of Yula’s entourage through the gates and up to the stronghold, she couldn’t help but but be awed at how massive Ingvarr really was. This wasn't Valengarr or Corona. Talia was right... Ingvarr was a _nation_. So when Cassandra turned to look behind her, her breath caught in her throat as the gazed upon the might and majesty of the city below. The houses, the mountains, the fields, they all seemed so small yet she knew the very heart of the warrior nation was larger than any peak of stone or valley of green.

There was a particular excitement in the air that Cassandra felt in her chest and it grew as her sisters chatted, retelling stories of Yula’s heroics and the battles they fought together side by side. She fed off the energy and let it wrap around her. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Being a part of a unit, celebrating as a family, knowing that even though one of them was ascending to a higher rank it was a win for them all. Yula’s victory was their victory and they all shared in her honor of the moment.

Many more warriors began to arrive, some familiar but most Cassandra did not know. Had she stayed in Ingvarr a bit longer, perhaps she would have fought alongside these women, got to know their names and faces and the stories of their lives. But destiny had had other plans for her, taking her down a different path to a different place yet... here she was. Standing in the heart of Ingvarr once again among her sisters joining in a moment she thought she would never get to see let alone be a part of. Cassandra knew what it meant to bear witness to a sister's ascension and for Yula to even ask her to be in her retinue meant more to Cassandra than her elder sister would ever know.

Before they crowded into the throne room, they were divided into two groups and instructed to line up in even numbers. Cassandra obediently took her place next to Nahdi and Detalla on the left hand side with Talia across from them. If there was a particular sorting for the lineup Cassandra didn’t know what it was. The only difference she could tell among the woman were that some had gold stripes on their shoulder capes while others were solid red or even white. So Cassandra stood amongst those wearing black not minding in the least. 

Once everyone was in their proper places, the guards opened the giant doors and the lines were ordered forward. In they walked, two perfect rows on either side of the aisle where a carpet of crimson and black lay leading up to a small set of steps and a throne.

It was not as ornate as the one back in Corona but Cassandra supposed that it wouldn’t be. If each ruler’s throne room was a reflection upon them and their kingdom then it was only fitting that the seat of Ingvarri power be one made of stone with strong spartan columns surrounding tall windows and blood red banners with the mighty lion crest upon them.

One moment they were facing each other and in the next there was the stomp of a boot and they all turned and faced the front, Cassandra reacting a bit more belatedly than the rest. She stared in annoyance at Talia who simply lifted her shoulders and tilted her head just slightly as if to say _Just follow along!_

So Cassandra stood straight and with eyes forward she suddenly saw her.

Upon the dais stood the High Mother, Queen of Ingvarr. Her imposing frame was dressed in her formal uniform of shades of red, a cape cascading down her back as her mark of office decorated in all manner of stripes and decorative honors. They hung off broad shoulders that were made broader by armored pauldrons in the shape of a lion’s head with teeth bared. A sash hung across her chest decorated in black and gold and resting on her forehead was the mark of the High Mother: two simple beads. It was no crown of gold that encircled her head nor priceless jewels that rested upon her brow for such things meant little to the Ingvarri. Family was the heart and the beads the queen wore had been passed down to her from Ingvarra and the other revered Sisters themselves and meant more to the nation than a bejeweled tiara ever would. 

Her steady gaze swept across the assemblage of warriors and for one nervous moment Cassandra wondered if she would recognize her. The Contest of the Crowns had been so long ago... surely the queen wouldn’t remember her... right? Even if she did, Cassandra had changed so much since then. The scars, the hair, her build... she wasn’t the same person who had failed to meet the Ingvarri queen’s expectations, falling short during the last event and throwing away her chance at joining her battalion for her friendship with Rapunzel.

She could almost physically feel the queen’s eyes upon her but Cassandra kept her gaze steady and straight ahead and eventually the feeling passed.

“ _Ishtah_ , _rhani yr Ingvarr_ ,” the High Mother began, her strong voice carrying across the entire room. “Daughters of the Seven Sisters. Heralds of the Storm. Today we witness the ascension of one of our sisters who has been tested in battle and came out stronger for it. A courageous leader whom I’ve heard many call the Fearless Blade of Ingvarr.”

The queen paused and those assembled stomped their boots on the stone floor in unison, the mighty sound striking the walls creating a strong echo like a clap of thunder. Cassandra saw Talia shifting in excitement and she could tell how much her friend wanted to let out a whoop of pride yet instead she bit her lip and simply added extra emphasis to her stomp.

Through her placid demeanor, a small smile graced the queen’s face. These were her daughters, after all. She took pride in their accomplishments and Cassandra wondered if it wasn’t for all the razor sharp discipline if the queen would have stomped her foot as well. She liked to think so.

“Come forth, Yula _rhan yr Ingvarr_.”

There was the sound of footsteps as Yula strode down the center of the assemblage, her sisters lined up on either side. The uniform she wore was slightly different from Cassandra’s with more white and gold accents but otherwise shaped the same. Her white shoulder cape fluttered behind her as she walked confidently down the aisle.

She unsheathed her blade then knelt and held it up with both hands offering it to the High Mother. It was a large straight edge sword perfectly balanced for one or two-handed combat, whatever the situation called for. It was a sword that had defended a thousand souls that sang a song of Ingvarri strength with every blow, wielded by one of Ingvarra’s most fearless daughters.

Cassandra knew the weapon well and she had been lucky to have held it after her successful completion of the _Veiodr._ Now it was in the hands of the Ingvarri queen, her dark eyes reflected so perfectly in the immaculate steel. Strong. Hardened. Just like the daughter who knelt before her.

“Yula _rhan yr Ingvarr_ , your recent actions to rid the lowlands of slave traders have shown you to be a fearless leader. Ravenica has smiled upon you and has chosen to be your matron spirit as you ascend from Elite Warrior to Commander.”

The High Mother turned to the audience and raised the sword.

“Yula’s ascension in rank is a proud moment for us all and Ingvarr grows stronger because of it. Therefore, I hereby bestow upon you the title of Commander. I know you will build your squad wisely, _rhan_.”

The sword descended and the High Mother tapped the tip of the weapon on the ground eliciting a sharp _ting!_ that rang through the hall. With it, those in attendance stomped their boots once again in perfect unison.

“‘We are the Thunder’...” the High Mother began.

“‘That heralds the Storm!’” the warriors chanted.

The High Mother looked down at Yula. “Rise, _Skaikandr Yula_ _rhan yr Ingvarr_.”

Yula stood and the High Mother held the blade out to her newly appointed commander who carefully took it from her hands.

“Ravenica does not often chose to act as a matron spirit,” the High Mother said. “This is a rare honor. Take your blade to the royal weaponsmith and she will engraved Ravenica’s blessing upon it.”

“Thank you, _Freyhedda_ ,” Yula said and saluted. With a practiced hand, she sheathed her blade then turned to look at her warriors, her friends, her family.

They stood at attention as she walked down the aisle, stone faced and perfectly still. Once she passed, they fell in line behind her and began following her out. When the last warrior’s boots passed over the threshold, the doors to the throne room slowly closed and as soon as its massive _boom!_ resounded through the corridors, all the order, all the discipline, all the restraint... it all vanished and the hall erupted into chaos.

There was a mad rush as everyone pressed forward to surround their sister. Those closest to Yula slapped her on the back and punched her in the shoulders as she laughed, defenseless against the onslaught. One of the warriors closest to Yula threw her arms around the tall warrior’s neck and lifted her feet off the ground easily suspending herself in the air. Yula smiled and threw an arm around her just as another jumped up and down then leapt up into Yula’s other arm. How many warriors Yula could lift was a mystery but she held onto them easily enough.

Amidst the chaos, Cassandra had made her way over to her elder sister and slapped her on a back adding her hand to the countless others in congratulations. Yula lifted her head and closed her eyes and laughed as many hands rustled her hair freeing loose strands from her perfect braids and ruffling her immaculate uniform. When the woman released her hold around her neck and dropped back to the ground, Yula reached out and wrapped her arm around Cassandra’s shoulders and pulled her in close. And just like that, Cassandra was caught in the epicenter of friendly punches, hugs, and shouts and she knew she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

As soon as the doors closed, the High Mother couldn’t help but smile when she heard the cheers. It made her remember her own ascension, how her sisters had slapped her on the back then playfully threw her shoulder cape over her head and raised her into the air. She couldn’t help but miss those bygone days.

“Lost in memories, High Mother?” one of her attendants said.

“One never forgets their own rank ascension,” she replied with a slight grin. But it wasn’t that particular memory that lingered in her thoughts.

It was another.

“Was that Cassandra of Corona I saw in the honor squad?” the High Mother asked.

“I do not know, _Freyhedda.”_

The Ingvarri queen narrowed her eyes for just a moment and tried to think back to that day, the Contest of the Crowns...

 _“_ I believe it was. Curious... I was not aware she was now a daughter of Ingvarr,” she mused. “I would like to know where she is staying in the city.”

The attendant saluted crisply then left to disperse the High Mother’s orders. 

“It seems I may have underestimated you, Cassandra of Corona,” the queen muttered to herself. “Or should I say Cassandra _rhan yr Ingvarr?”_

*****

As they filed out of the castle, Cassandra had thought the ceremony was complete, her job of "standing there and looking formidable" done. But instead of continuing down the steps through the gates that led back into the city, they all followed Yula as she led them on a large stone path that arced to the left beyond the grounds of the stronghold. Most of the women walked in silence while others murmured in hushed tones. Beside her, Talia was a bundle of barely contained excitement with a sly grin across her face like she knew the world’s biggest secret. Cassandra looked at her friend and raised a questioning eyebrow but the Ingvarri simply tilted her head in a manner that told Cassandra _You will see._

They strode across a well worn path amidst a large grassy field until suddenly before them rose a giant stone staircase wide enough for a dozen squads to march up side by side. There was no hesitation in her stride and Yula began to climb, her warriors following as they ascended the steps together.

Cassandra noticed that Talia was watching her very carefully though every time she tried to catch the Ingvarri’s eyes she quickly turned away. Not knowing what she was up to made Cassandra that much more suspicious but as they reached the landing, she suddenly understood why. Talia wanted to see her reaction and as much as Cassandra didn’t want to give her the satisfaction, her mouth fell open nonetheless.

The landing upon which they stood opened out into a massive arc upon which they could see the glorious statues of all seven of the revered Sisters. The sun that was just beginning to descend painted their stone visages in golden light giving them a heavenly aura that touched the helmet of Seiga to the tip of Ingvarra’s mighty spear, the long shadows they cast stretching far behind them.

Never before had Cassandra stood in the presence of such greatness, such sublimity, such grandeur of mortals that she felt herself unworthy to be bathed in the same sunlight of these legends of women. She suddenly felt so small in this world of giants the feats of whom were the stories one told to children before bedtime. Yet even though they rose above the city as mighty stone guardians that defied the limits of the sky with their very audacity, they had been just like Cassandra once. The few who fought against the many. Defiers of odds and fate. Creators of their own destinies.

And Cassandra wondered what it would take to stand beside them.

A sharp tug on her sleeve startled her out of her reverie and she looked down and saw Talia gently pulling her towards the dais where the others had gathered around Yula.

“ _Myn rhanvari_ ,” Yula began, her voice soft as she gazed admiringly at her family. “You have trained with me, fought by my side, watched me become a sister then a teacher and now a commander. I would not be here without you. My ascension is your ascension and today I carry you with me. Detalla.” With a gesture, she urged the large warrior forward. Detalla took a confident step, her face neutral like the most disciplined of soldiers.

Very softly, Yula spoke to her in Ingvarri and that hard facade her axe wielding sister tried so hard to maintain began to shatter.

“ _Myn rykr est yor rykr,”_ Detalla said and wrapped a giant hand around Yula’s forearm.

_My blade is your blade._

It was more than a phrase. It was an oath. And suddenly Cassandra understood what was happening.

Yula was choosing her squad.

One by one she called the others forward.

Saia.

Nahdi.

Estassia.

Beside her Talia tried but failed miserably to hide the giant grin that spread across her face. Cassandra cast her sideways glance and it was obvious when Talia felt her eyes upon her because her smile became that much wider. In an attempt to hide it, she tucked her lips together which did nothing but her look like a child waiting to open a gift that she already knew what it contained.

“Talia,” Yula said and her friend strode forward excitedly. Had Talia had an ounce less of discipline, Cassandra was sure she would have skipped right into Yula’s arms.

The taller warrior couldn’t help but smile at her boisterousness and slapped a hand on her shoulder like she could contain all her sister's energy under her grasp. 

“Tali, your bravery and compassion knows no bounds. All of us would have joined the Seven Sisters by now if it wasn’t for you whether by your skills on or off the battlefield. I would be honored if you would join my squad as my sixth.”

“ _Othrei dosk_ ,” Talia replied. _Until death._ Then she slapped her arm against Yula’s and the older warrior threw a hand on top of Talia’s head and lightly ruffled her hair.

“ _Oya,_ Yula, if you weren’t so damn tall...!” Talia said reaching up but Yula gently pushed her face away with a laugh.

A soft smile crept across Cassandra's lips and something inside her ached yet was curiously full at the same time. How easy things were between them all. Was this how it was with a real family? Was this how things should be? With love and trust as easily as wrapping an arm around someone’s shoulders knowing that the blade they held protected your back instead of worrying about it being plunged into it?

Cassandra was happy for them. They deserved this, each and every one of them and she wished that one day, perhaps she herself would be lucky enough to...

“Cassa.”

Yula held out her hand to her.

With uncertain feet and a hope in her chest that told her not to dare too much, Cassandra stepped forward.

Yula gasped both her shoulders and smiled down at her.

“ _Cassa, myn rhanvarla,”_ she said softly.

That word. That single word. How such a simple name could suddenly make Cassandra feel overwhelmed was impossible to know but for some reason it made her eyes water and her chest grow tight. She had been called “sister” before and had welcomed the change from the generic “foundling” they had called her prior to the _Veiodr_ but this... “little sister” was a term of such endearment that it meant so much more than _rhanvar_. Everyone was a sister, but to be called _rhanvarla..._

It meant Yula thought of Cassandra as her own and much like the son who had found a home with her, Cassandra suddenly found herself adopted. 

So as Yula smiled upon her Cassandra knew what was happening and in that moment never has she fought so hard to hold back the tears that threatened to break loose.

“Never before have I seen someone with such fire in her eyes," Yula said proudly. "I have watched you grow into a spectacular warrior and I am honored to have witnessed the day you yourself ascended to become _rhanvar_ to us all. Your instinct to protect is unrivaled and your strength of spirit is that of Seiga herself. Will you join my squad as my seventh?”

Somewhere out there in the currents of time was a young girl from Corona cast aside by her mother, a girl who became a woman who worked as a servant but had the heart of a warrior. Had she known this was what waited for her, perhaps she wouldn't have felt so alone. The girl who wanted neither friends nor company because she told herself she didn't want them... only because she had none.

If Cassandra could only tell her not to give up hope, that things would get better, then perhaps those lonely nights wouldn't have been so bad. 

But she knew that nothing worth having was given. It was earned.

And Cassandra, her body scared and her soul tired, had finally crossed the finish line and what waited for her on the other side were hands extended to help her up.

Her friends, her family, having them all around her to support her, fight with her, trust her with their very lives was a piece of her life she didn’t know she had been missing until now.

After all she had been through, all the pain she had caused and the suffering she endured to right her wrongs, of fighting back a heart full of longing only to be the one to save the princess and have her love returned in the end, and now, finally, finding a family here among her sisters... there was nothing left in her life she wanted.

She had it all.

“ _Othrei dosk_ ,” she replied and slapped her arm against her elder sister’s.

And Cassandra became part of her family, the bond of deeds, not of blood.

*****

Several feet ran by the door and joyous shouts from children clamored excitedly in the Ingvarri language as Rapunzel stepped outside. The sun had just begun to set and the last amber rays stretched across the city as torches were lit to act as guides along the street. In an excited rush, more children hurried past and Rapunzel glanced down the road.

“They are coming home,” _Amma_ Sanna told her with a smile holding Bjorn in her arms. Sure enough, down the street came a sea of crimson and black uniforms. Even from this distance, the princess could hear the unmistakable sound of voices rising and lowering in song.

“ _Aish_ , now the spectacle begins,” the old woman chuckled and shook her head. “Anja protect us all...”

Some of the children ran up to the warriors who ruffled their hair and picked up their sons and daughters and carried them. When the entourage came close enough, Yula broke from the crowd and lifted Bjorn from her grandmother’s hands and held him high. She kissed him on the cheek and the boy giggled then wrapped his arms around his mother’s neck.

“Time to celebrate, _beybonrhar_!” Yula said.

Rapunzel saw Orli run across the other side of the street and once she saw Talia the girl punched her lightly in the shoulder as her older sister wrapped an arm around her. She then tugged her shoulder cape free and wrapped it around Orli’s wiry frame and the younger girl laughed.

Suddenly Rapunzel felt someone grasp her hand and she turned and saw Cassandra standing next to her. Her hair was a mess like it had been ruffled several times by rough hands but she didn’t seem to mind. The grin on her face was so bright that it made Rapunzel smile too. Without a word, Cassandra pulled her into the crowd and down the street towards the sounds of revelry.

It was true that an ascension for one was an ascension for all and a proud day for Ingvarr at that and the enormous gathering certainly showed it. The festivities laid claim to several fields and city blocks and it seemed no space was off limit as neighbors and friends opened their residences to any and all for food, drinks, and anything else that was needed. Torches were lit and dotted the space with their magnificent orange glow lighting up the night and dancing in the breeze like the Ingvarri within. The ale flew freely, fueling the mirth and laughter and occasionally the flames of the campfires when one got to boisterous and careless with their mug.

Being spoiled by constant festivals in Corona, Rapunzel was used to large gatherings and kingdom-wide parties. They occurred so frequently that, although the princess would never admit it, they lost a bit of their magic after a time. But if there was one thing she was pleasantly surprised by it was the spirited nature of an Ingvarri celebration.

There was no formality to the gathering, no rules of etiquette expected of anyone holding rank. The casual laughter and conversations were those of one big family and to Rapunzel it was most freeing thing in the entire world.

Off in a quieter corner _Amma_ Sanna sat around a smaller campfire with few other snowy haired maidens and perhaps a dozen or so children or various ages and told them stories and sang to them a sweet even paced melody:

“Between sky and sea,

And hills of green.

The land of free,

and beauty serene.

Don’t tell me how or tell me when,

The wind still blows and the waves still roll.

With sword and shield,

This place I defend.

Upon the day,

Without fear I ascend.

Of my family all,

Young and old.

I see in your face,

Young warrior kin.

The one who’ll take my place,

To carry Ingvarr’s spirit within.

Take me home,

Mother Ingvarr

Oh, take me home,

Mother Ingvarr...”

Amidst the chaos, Cassandra guided Rapunzel towards one of the longer tables already laden with food and mugs where the rest of the sisters were gathered. As they made their way through the crowd, Cassandra held on to Rapunzel's hand as she fluidly guided her around drunken Ingvarri, warriors with arms laden with food, and the occasional few who pulled others in to join them in dance. They passed a warrior who had just filled her mouth with ale and just as she grabbed one of the torches, Cassandra sidestepped and pulled Rapunzel with her right before she spat into the flame creating a magnificent stream of fire. Shouts of excitement and claps filled the air and Rapunzel couldn’t help but marvel at all that was going on around her.

There was so much food and laughter and fun and there, off to the side, three children of various ages wrapped their tiny hands around Detalla’s bicep and she lifted them easily off the ground, their feet dangling in the air laughing as several of their friends tried to lift her axe from where it lay embedded in the soft earth. Beside her Estassia pulled out some coins and slapped them into Saia's hand shaking her head for even making the bet in the first place.

The sounds, the smiles, the smells... never before had the princess seen people revel in so much fun. It was exciting just to watch let along be a part of it.

They came upon the table where Yula’s entourage had gathered and took a seat. Some of the warriors had already shed their uniforms and others had simply removed their jackets so they could move their muscles much more freely but in each hand was already a drink and the laughter flowed as easily as the ale.

Over the discordance, Talia suddenly stood and raised her hands. “ _Oya,_ wait wait wait!” she shouted. “Who has guard duty tonight?”

A few hands hesitantly rose into the air and Talia went behind each and everyone of them and plucked the drinks from their grasps. There was a cacophony of groans and very creative expletives but she waved their comments away. “ _Ya ya_ , I am _not_ fixing your drunken _askygr_ if we have another incident like at _Heyvanyr_ last year. Duty first, drink later.”

It was comical to watch Talia wrestle the myriad of mugs without spilling a drop as she made her way back to her seat. But one bold warrior snuck up from behind her and plucked one of the drinks from her arms. Talia immediately spun on her sister and was about to swipe at her but the woman took a quick step backwards and held up a hand.

“ _Tava,_ Talia! I have second shift! _Nej hra!”_ and she jumped out of the way.

Talia pointed that oh so familiar accusing finger of hers and Cassandra was glad to see it directed at someone other than herself for once.

She finally reclaimed her seat, placing all the stolen drinks on the table before her. Cassandra reached for one but Talia smacked her hand away.

“ _Oya,_ these are mine,” she said with sly smile. “Get your own, Cassa.”

“Talia, if you drink all those, _you’ll_ be the one clamoring to beat the Ring of Death,” Cassandra teased remembering her very first _Heyvanyr_ celebration. “Blindfolded, I’m sure.”

“I _can_ beat _Valdr Dosk_ , I’m just waiting for the others to get drunk first,” her friend replied with a sly smile.

“Ring of what now?” Rapunzel suddenly asked.

“ _Valdr Dosk_. A challenge born of an old legend,” Talia explained. “It was said that Voranna the Swift was able to defeat ten of her sisters as they all fought her at the same time. No one has been able to match that claim, though many have tried.”

“Usually when drunk,” Cassandra added pointedly.

“Speaking of drinks... Rapsi, here.” Talia chose one mug in particular from the many before her and placed it in front of the princess. She then tapped it against her own mug. “ _Svol!”_

Rapunzel took a sip, her face scrunching up into a sour grimace.

“That is _really_ strong,” she said. From atop her shoulder, Pascal leaned over, took a cursory sniff, and stuck his tongue out.

“ _Oya,_ Raspi, I watered it down for you!” Talia said.

“Oh, you give _her_ a drink. I see how it is,” Cassandra said in mock offense.

“I will _happily_ water down a drink for you, Cassa, but you will never hear the end of it from Nahdi. You are _Ingvarri!”_ Talia slapped her on the back for emphasis.

From the corner of her eye, Cassandra saw Orli sneak up behind Talia’s opposite shoulder and reach for a mug. Ah, but Talia had seen the shift in her gaze and before her younger sister could even touch one of the ales, she hooked an arm around her neck and pulled her into a hug.

“ _Nej,_ none for you, _beybonrhar!”_ Talia said. 

“Tali, I’m not a _beybonrhar_ anymore!” Orli replied trying to free herself from her sister’s hold.

“You are to me, _rhanvarla_. _Savrae,_ let us have a little friendly competition! Cassa! Rapsi! Come throw with us!” Talia said as she released Orli and got to her feet.

“Throw...?” Rapunzel asked.

“Oh, it’s so much fun!Come on, Raps, you’ll love it!” Cassandra grabbed Rapunzel’s hand and the princess was only too happy to leave the sour tasting drink behind.

Scattered throughout the fields were rows of targets on wooden stands with different sized pouches nailed upon its facade. It almost reminded Rapunzel of an archery range except instead of bow and arrows...

Talia lifted one of the throwing axes and without aiming dipped her shoulder down and rotated her torso and let it fly. The head of the blade sunk into the wood and struck one of the bags which began to leak green powder.

The Ingvarri pumped her fist victoriously in the air and Orli stuck out her elbow and together the sisters executed a complex routine of bumps and hand slaps.

“Talia, that was amazing!” Rapunzel said.

“ _Oya!_ That is why they call me Talia the Axe!”

“ _Shash,_ Tali, don’t let Detta hear you say that!” Nahdi said taking an easy seat on a stump to watch.

Just then Talia sauntered over to the target and grabbed what remained of the bag and eyed Cassandra mischievously.

“Not in the face, Tali...!” Cassandra warned and turned just as the Ingvarri threw a handful of green powder at her. It splashed across her back and shoulder coating her uniform a magnificent lime and Rapunzel burst into laughter.

“ _What_?!” the princess gasped.

A very disgruntled Cassandra lowered her arms and tried to flick the powder from her jacket.

“The objective is not to slice the bag but to just cut it enough so you have more to throw at your opponent,” Talia explained then patted Rapunzel on the shoulder leaving a lime handprint on her tunic. “Your turn, Rapsi!”

“Oh, I want one of those bags,” the princess said as she wrapped her hand around the handle of the weapon and tested its heft. It was surprisingly light although a bit awkward to hold. She set her feet where Talia had stood and stuck out her tongue and took careful aim then threw it with all her might. The blade sailed up and over the target landing in the grass far behind it.

“Okay, that was a practice one!” the princess said rolling up her sleeves. “Let me try again.”

“Don’t do what Talia did. She’s just showing off,” Cassandra said and grabbed one of the axes. She gave it to Rapunzel then wrapped her own fingers around hers. “Use two hands and swing it down.”

With firm but gentle hands, she adjusted Rapunzel’s grip, corrected her stance, and lifted her elbow ever so slightly.

“Let go at eye level,” Cassandra told her from behind, guiding her arms down in a slow practice throw. “Right there.”

After she heard Cassandra take a few steps back, Rapunzel hefted the axe over her head then with a mighty grunt threw it. The blade tumbled end over end and embedded itself in the lower corner of the target with a solid _thunk!_ but just shy of a pouch.

 _“_ Ah! I did it!” the princess shouted and practically jumped into the air. “Cass, did you see?!”

“I saw it, Raps. Good job,” Cassandra smiled as Rapunzel wrapped her arms around her neck.

“We will make an Ingvarri out of you yet, Rapsi,” Talia said giving her a light slap on the back. “Orli! You’re up!”

The girl took a stance similar to what her big sister had done but took much more careful aim. She arched her arm back then threw, the blade landing solidly in the bottom corner next to where Rapunzel's axe lay just cleaving the edge of one of the bottom pouch where pink powder began to bleed from the cut.

“ _Oya!_ Well done, _rhanvarla!”_ Talia said and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“I think Orli the Axe sounds better than Talia the Axe,” the girl replied with a sly smile and Talia ruffled her hair and playfully pushed her away.

“Detta will murder punch you _both_ in the face, _rhanvari,”_ Nahdi said rolling her eyes and bringing the mug of ale to her lips. “Anja protect you...”

Orli went to the board and claimed her prize. “Rapsi...” she said and motioned for her to hold out her hand. When the princess did, the young girl dumped half the bag into her hand then both took a step backwards and counted down to three then they both turned and flung the powder at Talia.

There was a short yelp as Talia closed her eyes then puffed out a breath that sent a cloud of pink into the air. 

“ _Oya,_ I _knew_ that was going to happen!” the Ingvarri said wiping pink from her cheek as Nahdi erupted into laughter behind her. “Is because I tackled you earlier, isn’t it?” she guessed but Orli’s only response was to flick pink powder from her fingertips onto her big sister’s uniform.

“I think you have lost, Cassa,” Talia said spreading her arms wide as puffs of pink cascaded off her clothes.

“Oh, I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you win, Talia.” Cassandra smirked as she hefted one of the blades and flipped it in her hand. With an easy swing, she rotated her arm and launched the axe which lodged on the other side of the board just nicking one of the pouches from which came a slow trickle of blue.

With a sideways glance, Cassandra grinned and spread her arms wide in mock imitation to her friend’s gesture.

“I don’t know what you are so smug about, you still lost,” Talia said.

“Yes, but _you_ lost. Orli won.”

The proclamation caused an indignant noise to escape Talia’s mouth and she threw her hands up. “ _Oya,_ I’m on her _team_ , Cassa! That is how _teams_ work!” She turned exhaustedly to Rapunzel. “Rapsi, how do you put up with her nonsense _?”_

“I think that makes me Cassandra the Axe,” she declared loudly folding her arms across her chest.

“ _Vdyr Syv Rhanvari,_ who said that??” Detalla’s voice boomed as she slammed her mug of ale down onto the table causing the amber liquid to splash over the rim.

The color drained from Talia’s face and Nahdi quickly swung her leg over the tree stump she had been sitting on and half fell, half rolled to her feet and skittered away all while holding her mug above her body so as not to spill a single drop.

“ _Savrae_! _Go go!_ ” Talia said to Orli, Cassandra, and Rapunzel and pushed them in the other direction with pink stained hands and the princess began to laugh.

Well past midnight the festivities were still in full swing with no signs of dying down. _Amma_ Sanna had already taken the children back to their homes with the help of their mothers but the honor squad still remained sitting comfortably around the bonfire exchanging stories.

“...She took a running start _up a tree_ to put me in a sleeper hold!” Yula said bursting into laughter with the other warriors. She wiped a mirthful tear away from her eye. “I thought you were going to punch me in the face, Cassa.”

“Yula, I would _never_ ,” Cassandra replied in mock seriousness. “Even though you knocked me on my ass more than once during training and you probably would have deserved it.”

“I’m sure half the women here would love to punch you in the face if you so desire, Yula,” Saia said with a smirk. “It’s your party, after all. It can be arranged.”

Yula took a swig of ale and waved a hand in the air. “Kind of you to offer, _rhanvar_ , but perhaps another time.”

“Maybe if it was _jornhedda_ Evannia who were to offer to punch you...” Nahdi said causing several warrior to roar with laughter.

“ _Shash!”_ Yula exclaimed and kicked at her sister who leapt quickly out of the way. In one swift moment, Nahdi had risen to her feet and moved behind Yula and wrapped her arms around her neck.

“I will go invite her now!” Nahdi said then thwacked her sister lightly on the head and took off running. Yula’s face became one of pure panic and the warriors erupted into laughter as she scrambled tipsily to her feet and took off after her sister her drink still in hand.

“ _Nej, Nahdi!”_

Amid the chuckles and friendly banter, Cassandra felt a hand wrap around her hers. She stole a sideways glance and saw Rapunzel place her head on her shoulder and sighed, a giant smile on her face. Cassandra intertwined her fingers with the princess's and for once in her life everything was perfect.

With laughter and the smell of bonfire smoke upon their clothes, Cassandra and Rapunzel made their way back to _Amma_ Sanna’s. While it was only a few hours past midnight and the party was still just as lively as before, half of the honor squad had already disbanded due to either guard duty or incapacitation of those unfortunate few who had tried to drink one another under the table and needed to be carried home.

Whatever the reason, Talia had been right; an Ingvarri celebration was quite the event and Rapunzel couldn’t remember the last time she had enjoyed herself so much. Even Pascal was having too much fun, chasing the myriad of fireflies that graced the valley plains. Though they headed back for the night, Rapunzel let him have his fun though she was certain he’d have a stomach ache in the morning.

They walked through the door and _Amma_ Sanna raised a finger to her lips to indicate Bjorn was sleeping so they silently made their way up the stairs.

“I can’t believe how much fun that was,” Rapunzel said remembering to keep her voice low. “It’s like _full_ of tradition but there’s no formalities or restrictions or... or...”

“Stuffy royal protocol you have to follow?” Cassandra added with a smirk.

The princess knew she had said it in jest but the more Rapunzel thought about it, the more she realized how accurate it was. She wasn’t a princess here. Wasn’t anything more to these people than just another member of the family. It was heartwarming to be accepted so quickly but something still nagged at Rapunzel that she should be doing more. That she should _be_ something more. If this was to be their home, what was her place here?

She stole a glance at Cassandra who had shyly turned her back to her and removed the jacket of her uniform. Rapunzel smiled. Cassandra belonged here. She fit in so perfectly that it was hard to imagine her anywhere else but most importantly was that she was _happy_ here amongst her sisters. Even when there was nothing left to fight, no bad guys chasing them, no life threatening mission to complete... she was perfectly at peace and Rapunzel had never seen Cassandra laugh and smile more than she had in the past few days.

Perhaps Rapunzel could find her destiny here in Ingvarr too. Maybe... maybe all she needed was time to find out what it was.

With her shoulders bare, Rapunzel could see the giant scar on Cassandra’s back even with most of it covered by her chest wrap. She stepped forward silently on bare feet and placed a hand on the marked skin. She felt Cassandra pause but her muscles no longer tensed like they used to underneath her touch and for that Rapunzel was glad. It had taken some time but eventually the princess had broken down that wall.

She pressed her lips upon the scar then whispered into her ear, “You look incredibly handsome in that uniform.”

Frozen as she was by the princess’s fingers upon her back, Cassandra was loathe to turn around but did so anyway.

“You really think so?” she said placing her hands on Rapunzel’s hips just as the princess wrapped her arms around her neck.

“I think it suits you just fine,” Rapunzel said, her gaze lowering from Cassandra’s eyes to her mouth. Their lips came together slowly. Rapunzel’s fingers curled around the hair at the back of her neck and she could feel Cassandra pull her just a bit closer.

The princess leaned into her and put a hand on her chest but when she did Cassandra tilted back and lost her balance. She took two steps backwards and hit the wall hard but she didn’t have time to find her breath. The warmth of Rapunzel’s hand on her face left her too stunned to think and her body was frozen as the princess pressed her hips against hers. 

Rapunzel knew the effect she had on Cassandra. After being together these last few month it didn’t take much to figure out their dance. The longing glances she would rarely act upon, the smallest of touches that seemed innocent but meant so much to her, the way she became paralyzed under Rapunzel’s touch...

Most of it she knew was out of habit. Having closed off her emotions for so long was the only way Cass knew how to act around her but now that they were together it was something Rapunzel so desperately wanted to show her. That there was no need to hesitate.

“You don’t have to hold back anymore,” Rapunzel whispered into her ear. That close she could smell the scent of bonfire smoke in her hair.

It wasn't the words but rather the breath that caressed her skin that sent a shiver down Cassandra's spine and she closed her eyes. When she had regained her senses, she slowly slipped one hand around the princess’s side to her lower back and pressed her body against hers while the other reached up. Curious fingers curled underneath Rapunzel's chin tilting it back and Cassandra brought her face close. She captured Rapunzel's mouth in one swift move, the suddenness of it sending a jolt through the princess's body.

“I’m not holding back,” Cassandra said between moments when their lips had parted.

“Yes you are,” Rapunzel countered quickly and with a sharp inhale through her nose kissed her deeply in a way that stole the breath from Cassandra’s lungs. 

The response was immediate just like Rapunzel knew it would be, that spark, that ignition of fire she hoped for. Cassandra dipped low then pulled Rapunzel up into her then she spun, her weight shifting ever so slightly and suddenly it was Rapunzel with her back against the wall.

The princess smiled into their kiss and half hummed with a sly laugh with the other half being a moan. Yes, some habits were hard to break but bit by bit she knew she would get through to Cassandra and show her that there was no need to stifle those feelings anymore.

It must have been the intensity in which Cassandra kissed her because Rapunzel felt something warm within her stomach that simply felt electric. It lifted her, heightened her senses and suddenly she felt... everything. Her hand wandered from Cassandra's chest down her middle and lingered at the hem of her pants. For one brief moment she thought she felt Cassandra tremble but it was gone in the next moment with the kiss that attacked the princess's bottom lip. It was so fleeting, barely noticeable but Rapunzel had felt it. Her fingers drifted over the scars of her abs they dipped past her hip until they touched leather and cold steel.In one swift motion, she tugged free the buckle of the belt that held the sheathed long knife at Cassandra's side and the weapon fell to the ground.

Rapunzel suddenly pressed her body into Cassandra’s and felt her yield, taking one step back then another. It didn’t leave her notice that while so much physically stronger than her, Cassandra always seemed to surrender under her touch.

There was only so much space in the room before Cassandra’s calf connected with the edge of the bed and she fell backwards. It yielded under her weight and she immediately put her hands behind her to push herself up, her mind warning her that this was a vulnerable position to be in but a hand on her chest stopped her.

Her head arched back and suddenly Cassandra was looking up at the princess. For the second time her fighter’s instinct screamed at her, this time telling her that her throat was too exposed. It was a fast way to lose one’s head in battle. But for all her training, Cassandra couldn’t react as a hand slowly reached down and fingertips brushed lightly across her neck. Her breathing ceased for just a moment before Rapunzel brought her lips crashing down on her.

Cassandra tried to match the intensity of the kiss but she was consumed. For once she wasn’t in control, wasn’t the master of herself, and it frightened her in the best kind of way.

She felt Rapunzel’s hands drop from her neck and explore her collarbone, across her shoulders, down her chest... Cassandra begged for air.

Rapunzel fell upon her like she was being pulled to Cassandra by some ethereal force. She brought her face close and hovered her lips over her cheek and Cassandra turned her head to follow. She was close enough that Cassandra could feel her breath upon her skin but stayed just slightly out of reach.

It sparked something inside of her and she pulled Rapunzel towards her and spun, a skilled maneuver the princess was unprepared for and she suddenly found herself looking up at Cassandra who pushed back against her lips. With the slightest of movements, Cassandra lifted her chin forcing her head upwards. She was the master of subtle motion and in the next moment Cassandra dipped underneath her jaw and kissed her neck and Rapunzel gasped. When she swallowed Cassandra could feel it with her mouth on her skin, could feel every breath she took, could feel her pulse beating faster.

“Still think I’m holding back?” Cassandra whispered into her skin.

“Yes,” Rapunzel breathed.

Adrenaline spiked and flooded from her chest down her limbs and into her fingers. She rolled and Cassandra tumbled with her and suddenly it was Cassandra who was looking up at the ceiling. Very slowly, Rapunzel slid her hands down Cassandra’s arms and she felt the marks of the sun and moon tattoo on her wrist. As she traced the lines upon her skin, she forced Cassandra’s hands above her head and leaned down and brushed her lips against hers. She lifted her chin in response but Rapunzel teasingly pulled away before her mouth could wrap around hers. Cassandra’s breath hitched for just a moment before Rapunzel brought her lips down in a way that was so... deliberately... slow...

As soon as Cassandra felt their presence she rose up to meet them with an intensity born of untold longing, of emotions being set free as the last of her walls crumbled underneath that one single kiss. It was an uncontrollable flood and as Cassandra kissed her hard, faster, the pace of her breathing increased.

“Slow down,” Rapunzel whispered with her lips against her skin.

“I can’t,” Cassandra exhaled into her hair.

Then she felt the princess’s smile against her ear.

“I’ll show you how.”

Rapunzel brought her hand up to Cassandra’s cheek and brought their lips together, her jaw dipping and rising setting a pace Cassandra was forced to follow. She inhaled through her nose and released it slowly through her mouth when they parted. Inhale, exhale. Again and again until Cassandra fell into rhythm with her.

Then Rapunzel did something she had always longed to do; she began mapping Cassandra’s skin with her fingers. As the princess kissed her slow, she moved her hand from her face down her neck and Cassandra let her.... let her drag her fingers down her throat, tracing the lines of her collarbone to her shoulder then across her chest. Rapunzel’s fingers lingered on the scars and the princess knew that even without the power of the sun drop she could take away the pain of each and every one of them.

Cassandra’s heart beat faster underneath her touch and Rapunzel could feel every pulse.

Something flared inside Cassandra and she inhaled sharply and raised her chest but Rapunzel slowly pushed her back down and wrapped her mouth around hers in a deep kiss that stole the breath from her lungs, forcing it back under control.

Her hands began moving again and glided over her ribs then down across her stomach, her fingers caressing every rise and dip of her abs. The more she explored, the further Cassandra fell.

Rapunzel knew what to do, where to go, where to touch and Cassandra was powerless underneath her hands. 

When their lips parted, Cassandra exhaled hard and as her gaze wandered up to the ceiling, she felt that familiar flash of blue behind her irises and she closed her eyes as Rapunzel dipped below her chin.

The moonstone shard that dangled from her neck lightly brushed against Cassandra’s chest and the moment the princess brought her lips back up and captured her in a kiss, it began to glow.

And Rapunzel smiled.

Cassandra inhaled sharply and wrapped her hands around the princess’s waist and pulled her close, the pace and her control forgotten as the space between them filled with moonlight.

*****

There was something different about the air... it was thick with cords that were woven together so tightly it almost seemed like an entire tapestry was woven from their light. But among the many there was one that was so familiar and when Eos touched it, it vibrated and caused the others around it to do so as well.

And that’s what led Eos to the island castle.

It gleamed with an arrogant importance one usually found with people who held power but this was not the kind of power that concerned the Celestial. No, this was a mortal’s perception of control based off of material possession, not _true_ power. Not like the power he felt in the air.

Now _that..._ that was true power.

And he was getting closer.

It had been here. Not just the moonstone he was chasing.

The sun drop.

It was thick in this place yet stale. Time had eroded the scent but it was still there, faintly. But the moonstone... the moonstone had been here not too long ago.

Silent as death, Eos glided forward amongst the shadows. The opportunity to explore these intertwining threads was tantalizing and his fingers itched at the possibilities of what he would find inside once he slipped past those feeble stones and ripped apart the flesh of any...

He stopped.

The movement was so abrupt the shadows continued to glide forth without him before realizing he was no longer guiding them. They pulled back, wrapped around him, and he focused his senses outward.

It was a flare. It called to him like a beacon in the night sky, a pulse of magic so strong it was unmistakeable.

_“Cassandra...”_

Quick fingers plucked the air and Eos began searching... where...? 

Ah, yesssss... there it was, its power emitting that oh so familiar halo.

He was close.

So close.

He turned his head away from the white parapets and purple banners and once again sank into the shadows and headed north, the pull of his prey tugged upon the celestial threads like stitches underneath his skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone, just a reminder to check the story tags. For the sake of spoilers in subsequent, I will NOT be posting trigger warnings. Treat this whole thing like one big trauma train


	10. The Life of an Ingvarri Warrior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The squad gets together for some much needed team building and it's just... the best kind of chaos.
> 
> For pacing on the fights, I highly recommend checking out the song list.
> 
> *NOTE* I changed Bjorn's age to 4 because I have no idea how old toddlers are apparently

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Sun Awakens - “Climbing For A Kiss” by Rupert Gregson-Williams  
> Nahdi vs. Saia - “Hunky Dory” by Shelby Merry  
> Cass vs. Talia - "Body Talks" by The Struts, Ke$ha  
> Detta, Make Them Take This Seriously - "Salute Your Solution" by The Raconteurs  
> Rapunzel’s Ingvarri Theme - “Dance for the Flower’s Innocence” by Martin Czerny  
> The Official Squad Portrait - “The Survivors” by Dan Romer, Behn Zeitlin  
> Cassandra’s Dream - “Past Lives” by Gareth Coker

It was the warmth that brushed against her skin that made Rapunzel open her eyes. A touch upon her cheek, a golden glow, and as she moved her head she saw the beam of sunlight reaching through the window to gently wake her. 

She blinked away the haze and the lingering mists of sleep and inhaled deeply. The air was filled with the fragrance of fresh grass from the plains carried upon mountain currents and the lingering smoke of bonfires long burned out even though the memories were still fresh. Memories, such wonderful memories...

They made her smile and as she stretched she felt something beneath her hand, warm, soft, familiar. 

Rapunzel turned her head and the same light that had so gently woken her caressed Cassandra's skin falling over her arm, her shoulder, her neck yet her eyes remained closed, her chest rising and falling steadily. How rare it was that the princess woke before her. For all the time they had spent together, it was a moment she seldom got to see, when Cassandra was so completely at peace like this. A moment when she wasn’t fighting against the world or tensing at the slightest of sounds. How long she had waited to see the real Cassandra, the one without her guard always up, the one whose hand lingered on Rapunzel’s skin instead of her weapons.

And the princess was glad. She had seen what the trials of life had done to her, always taking things from her without giving anything back... 

Her family, her skin, pieces of her heart...

Yet she had survived.

And whatever cosmic angel who saw Cassandra kneeling on the ground refusing to give up had gently lifted her chin and whispered _It'll be okay now_ and slowly returned what had been taken.

Though it could not undo the marks upon her flesh, she had been rewarded a new life, a new family, and mended her fractured heart. 

It had always been Rapunzel's wish that Cassandra would one day find solace and finally lay down her weary head to rest, she just never imagined it would be right here beside her.

So as she slept, the princess couldn’t help but smile at the way her dark hair fell across her eyes and the way she exhaled gently through barely parted lips as sunlight painted over her features in beautiful golden light.

Rapunzel moved her fingers across Cassandra’s arm, the lightest of touches that traced the line of the scar across her bicep. It was a single mark among many yet she knew it, knew the shape of it, where it began and where it ended just like all the other marks upon her body. She knew them all.

Her hand glided across her skin and Cassandra stirred but did not wake. Slowly, Rapunzel slid her hand across the side of her face and gently turned her head and brushed her lips against hers.

The breath she used to take Cassandra's away felt like inhaling a memory. That feeling... it was that of her first stolen kiss and it brought Rapunzel back to that one beautiful moment when she realized Cassandra was so much more to her than simply her protector, her friend. The only difference was that this time when she raised her chin she felt Cassandra kiss her back.

As Cassandra lay helpless in the world between sleep and waking it was the subtlest of sensations; the familiar touch upon her skin, the tingle on her lips...

Very slowly she opened her eyes and as the mist of sleep’s embrace slowly left her sight she saw Rapunzel. It was a dream, she thought. It had to be for to be waken up with Rapunzel’s hands upon her face and the taste of her kiss upon her lips was simply impossible. Yet as she reached up and brushed a loose lock of hair from the princess’s eyes what she felt under her fingertips was very real.

So Cassandra lifted her chin and kissed her again and again...

Nothing could pull her away...

“Cassa, _savrae!”_

Except an annoyingly familiar voice.

“If I need to kick you out of bed I will. You have _two minutes_ before I come up there!” Talia called up the stairs.

Cassandra suddenly pulled away and swore an infinite amount of curses upon her sister.

“ _Tava_ , Talia! I’m coming!” With an exasperated sigh her head fell back against the pillow and she closed her eyes. “I’m going to punch her so hard.”

Beside her Rapunzel chuckled, a lyrical laugh that made Cassandra’s heart beat just a bit faster. Curious fingers slid across her shoulder and she turned her head. A beautiful sunbeam cascaded across the room and seemed to light up Rapunzel’s hair with gold making her smile seem absolutely radiant.

Oh, to stay in that moment forever...

“One minute!” Talia called.

“ _Syv Rhanvari!_ ” Cassandra swore under her breath and leapt out of bed.

The step that should have been there suddenly wasn't and with quick reflexes Cassandra caught herself against the wall as her boot missed the floorboard and she lurched forward, dropping her knife belt in the process. Angry hands snatched it from the ground and finished buckling it around her waist just as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

A snicker caused her to turn.

Talia leaned casually against the wall near the table with her arms crossed and fingers drumming impatiently against her arm.

“Not like you to sleep so late, Cassa,” she said raising an eyebrow. “Too much fun last night?”

It was the suddenness of the implication that doused the fire of Cassandra's anger and turned it into cool embers of embarrassment.

“What? No!” she countered quickly.

“ _Oya,_ I see,” her sister said then tilted her head back. “Not enough fun, then.”

Cassandra’s face quickly began to warm but before any further damning words could escape her mouth, Talia grabbed a pastry from the table and threw it at her.

“You make it too easy sometimes, Cassa. Eat something quick. Yula will be back any minute.”

“What? Where are we going?”

“Practice. We are in a five day grace period until High Mother can call upon us for active duty,” Talia explained then slapped her on the shoulder. “Team building, Cassa!”

The door suddenly opened and Yula walked in with Bjorn in one arm and her sword in the hand of the other. The moment she put him down he skittered away only to be caught by _Amma_ Sanna.

“ _Oya!_ Did you get it?” Talia asked eagerly with eyes shining with excitement.

Yula smiled and unsheathed her blade and held it up for her sisters to see, the morning sunlight reflecting off the freshly engraved sigils making it seem like they were lit with heavenly fire.

“ _Ravenica_...” Talia whispered in awe, tracing the runes with her fingers as Cassandra gazed upon the weapon reverently.

The blessing of the Fearless One.

A rare honor indeed. Those who could claim the favor of one of the fiercest of Sisters did not stride down the halls of the palace or laugh with family and friends around the hearth. No, their blades stood upon the mantles of homes in reverent memory of the one who had wielded it, for those who were blessed by Ravenica often did not live through the battle who called her forth.

As all Ingvarri knew, being fearless did not make one invincible.

Yet Yula had not called upon Ravenica to aid her, had not prayed to the Seven Sisters for strength or speed yet they had looked down upon her and saw a daughter with fire in her eyes and that fighting spirit that burned so brightly in the daughters of Ingvarr. It could have been any one of the Seven who had chosen her in that moment. Anja could have wrapped her arms around Yula like an angel of armor to grant her protection to help her sisters, or Khatia could have grasped her arm to aid her weary muscles and give her the unstoppable determination to keep fighting. But no, it was Ravenica who had waved her sisters away and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder seeing neither terror nor doubt in her eyes and whispered _I am beside you, fearless daughter._

And that's how Yula became the Fearless Blade of Ingvarr.

“ _Oya,_ let me borrow it,” Talia said with waggling fingers and a sly look in her eyes, a look that quickly disappeared under Yula’s palm as her older sister playfully pushed her away.

"Get your own blessing, Tali," she said with a laugh. "Now get ready. We leave in five minutes."

“Can I come watch?” Rapunzel asked as she descended the last of the steps.

“Of course, Rapsi!" Talia said with a wide smile as she placed an arm around the princess's shoulders. "You are welcome to come watch me kick Cassa’s _askygr._ It is quite a thing to see. She makes this little noise when she gets exasperated and her face gets all scrunchy like she is angry but is really just adorable...”

Rapunzel laughed and Cassandra couldn’t help but point an angry finger at her sister as her indignation began to rise.

“Talia, I’m going to--”

“ _Aish,_ save it for the fields, _rhanvari,”_ Yula said waving them forward. “ _Savrae!”_

*****

There was the shift of feet and the creak of leather armor that mixed with the song of birds and the whisper of the breeze as it danced down the mountains as Yula scratched her chin. There was something about the way they stood clustered together that made her pause and put a hand to her mouth to hide her smile. Her carefully selected squad was quite the array of tall/short, lean/brawny, serious/mischievous but as Yula eyed her sisters she knew she wouldn’t have it any other way.

These were the warriors she had trained and fought alongside with, after all. Each of their strengths and weaknesses she knew as well as her own if not better. It was the little nuances like how Detalla favored her right foot over her left due to an old injury or how Saia like to rotate her wrist to the right when she disarmed opponents.

Yet Yula knew that just because she was familiar with her sisters’ peculiarities did not mean the rest of them were.

And that was precisely why they were here now.

“We only have a few days to coordinate before our squad is activated for duty,” Yula announced. “Nahdi, Tali, Cassa, I know you have trained together and Saia, Stassi, and Detta you fought alongside each other. I know you how you move, how you think, but that is what you need to know about each other.”

Yula tilted her chin backwards in an imitation that was so like Inga’s and she said with raised eyebrow, “Today you spar.”

Nahdi pulled her fist to her side as a not so subtle “ _Yes!”_ escaped her lips and Yula crossed her arms over her chest.

“Since you are so _eager_ , Nahdi, you fight first with Saia. The rest of you pay attention.”

Nahdi rotated her wrists and whipped her dark hair over her shoulder as she drew her sword while Saia took up position in front of her, her blade curiously remaining slumbering in its sheath.

Talia leaned close to Detalla and said under her breath, “Nahdi will have her in six moves.”

The other woman raised a curious eyebrow.

“Saia in three moves. Three silver.”

“Done.”

“ _Gej!”_ Yula commanded.

Neither of them moved.

The fingers on Nahdi’s hilt flexed nervously, her body tensed yet no attack came.

Then, suddenly, Saia raised one foot and moved her boot across the ground in a semi circle before her.

It was... peculiar and Nahdi looked helplessly at Yula who just shrugged and pointed at Saia. “Go get her!”

With muscles twitching in anticipation, Nahdi tightened the grip on her sword and charged forward. Her blade swept out and to the side carving a wide arc then angled down from the right in a move that would have dug deep into an enemies collarbone. But whereas she had expected Saia to draw her sword in defense, the other woman simply... disappeared. 

Movement off to her left made her turn and Nahdi spun on her back foot and brought her sword up just in time to catch Saia’s blade on her own. With a grunt, Nahdi lifted her weapon and forced Saia’s outwards yet before she could counter, her sister’s front foot shifted behind hers and the blades that were locked were suddenly forced high. With her elbows precariously out of position, Saia angled Nahdi backwards then turned her wrist flinging the sword from her hand.

With the glint of sunlight on steel, Nahdi stared down at the tip of Saia's blade pointed at her throat.

" _Hasht_ ," Yula commanded waving a hand in the air for them to stop. Saia stared steadily at Nahdi holding position for a moment longer then slowly retracted her weapon with a startling smoothness that mirrored her calm demeanor.

“Work on your footwork, Nahdi,” Yula said motioning them over to the side. Her eyes wandered over the rest of her sisters and she tapped a finger to her lips, ignoring the sound of coins exchanging hands and the very disgruntled _Oya!_ that followed.

“Cassa. Detta. Your turn.”

With a flourish Cassandra drew her blades and strode out into the middle of the field to take her position in front of Detalla the Axe. Perhaps it was the proximity or the way the shadow fell across Cassandra but suddenly the Ingvarri looked much larger than she had standing beside her just moments before.

“ _Gej!”_

The moment it took Detalla to heft her axe into the air was the moment Cassandra moved. She wasn’t as fast as Saia but against an opponent like Detalla she definitely had the advantage. Her feet carried her to the right and out of the path of the axe but not out of range and just as Cassandra raised her arms to strike, the axe swept towards her.

A quick dive to her right saved her and in the next moment she brought her sword high. Detalla’s shoulder muscles bunched and she brought her axe out and across and connected with her sister’s blade. The shock of the blow sent vibrations up Cassandra’s arm and her sword flew from her hand but she had not time to curse. The axe swept around like a pendulum and Cassandra leapt, tucking her chin and turning the move into a roll that put her behind Detalla’s legs.

With a grunt she kicked out and Detalla fell down on one knee and Cassandra raised her outer leg and brought it across the larger warrior’s chest and threw her hips down as hard as she could.

The force of the move knocked Detalla flat on her back and before she could blink, Cassandra’s knife was at her throat.

“Not bad, Cassa,” Yula said. “But let us see how you do against a faster more annoying opponent. Tali!" She waved at the lineup for her sister to come forth. "You against Cassa. One minute.”

Talia's eyes and mouth opened wide just as a dramatic inhale filled her chest. 

“What _rare_ treat is this?” she exclaimed as she spread her arms wide. “ _Skaikandr_ Yula giving me permission to knock you on your _askygr_...” She smiled and hummed like she had just tasted the most amazing of desserts. 

It was an expression Cassandra was eager to wipe off her face and with a deft flick of her wrist she twirled both her blades. “We'll see who's kicking whose _askygr_ when you're looking at me from the ground, Talia.”

But her sister’s smile only grew wider and much more sinister.

“ _Oya,_ Cassa, I have one _whole_ minute to embarrass you in front of your _kaljorna_ ,” Talia said with a smirk tilting her chin towards Rapunzel. “Stassi!”

The warrior threw her spear and with a practiced hand Talia caught it and spun it in dangerous circles around her.

“Tali...” Yula warned then nodded at her sword. “Use your primary.”

Talia threw a hand in the air and looked pleadingly at her her older sister. “ _Oya,_ it is only my primary because I am a battlefield medic, Yula! Have you ever seen a medic with a _spear_?”

With an exasperated sigh, Yula shook her head and waved dismissively at her. “ _Aish,_ fine.”

They took their positions and Talia held the weapon low, the tip pointed at the ground passively but Cassandra knew her defensive stance was a ruse. Underneath that mischievous yet compassionate demeanor was a fighter of the most dangerous kind. 

Suddenly Talia moved her head to the left and Cassandra shifted her weight to the right then scowled when she realized her sister was playing with her. Cassandra mouthed a very silent _Fuck you, Tali_ and her friend simply smiled and winked at her.

“ _Ai,_ Tali...” Yula sighed as she shook her head. Then she shouted to both of them, “Take this seriously!”

Cassandra's hips shifted ever so slightly and the leather of Talia's front boot creaked as she put the lightest amount of pressure on it. Adrenaline began priming their limbs and the seconds dragged on into countless eternities as they stared into each others eyes watching for the subtlest of body cues.

They were ropes under tension ready to snap.

Yula let them sit for a moment longer.

Then...

“ _Gej!”_

 _High, high, low_ the spear swept out one end tumbling over the other and with the sharp _ting!_ of metal Cassandra’s blades met every strike and countered high just as Talia spun away. The weapon was a blur of movement as she wrapped it around herself then she held the tip low in front of her foot and stopped.

Cassandra paused, knowing Talia was goading her to come closer having a longer reach than her blades but it was that smirk... oh, she was going to _destroy_ her. Cassandra stepped forward on her right foot but the moment she did so she turned, changed directions and struck to the left.

Oh, but Talia knew she would. Once her sister was in range, Talia kicked the spear into the air with her boot and it whipped up and arced towards Cassandra’s face. It was pure instinct that caused Cassandra to bend backwards and the end of the weapon sailed past her nose.

Yet as she did so the Talia flipped it around and brought the bottom end up but instead of a strike across her jaw like Cassandra expected, the weapon lightly tapped her on the cheek and Talia pursed her lips and blew Cassandra a kiss.

With a growl, Cassandra slapped the staff away with her knife and charged.

“ _Ai,_ Tali you are asking for trouble,” Yula muttered putting a hand to her face.

With a quick rotation of her arm, Cassandra’s sword flashed and brought it down on the spear pushing it out of the way so her knife could strike. Yet with Talia brought the other end of the weapon to block Cassandra instead brought both her blades together and trapped the staff between them. Her elbows dropped and with it Talia’s shoulders were forced low and that’s when Cassandra brought her back leg up.

Had Talia not released her hands when she did she would have had a nice boot print across her face but she had seen Cassandra’s hips move. Once the foot sailed past her eyes, Talia grabbed it and pulled it against her torso then heaved.

Cassandra lost her balance in the wild toss and landed in the grass just as her sister recovered her weapon. In one fluid motion, Cassandra kicked herself back up and bared both blades in front of her.

The spear became a whirl as Talia swung it around the back of her neck then trust it forward yet the moment she did so it scraped against Cassandra’s long knife and she angled it down and away. With her left leg planted solidly beneath her, Cassandra raised her right and stomping down on the pole burying the tip into the soft earth.

With a wicked grin she kicked and sent the weapon flying then crossed her arms in front of her and slashed wide. How Talia had managed to bend backwards like she did was a feat of flexibility Cassandra couldn't help but be impressed by even as her blades sailed harmlessly through empty air. There was a blur of red off to her right as her sister rolled, her hand deftly wrapping around the spear then a boot kicked out to stop her momentum. In the next instant she was on her feet again and Talia pulled the spear around her, dancing with it as it sailed behind her back and she twirled then released her top hand and let it fly.

Cassandra’s sword flashed out wildly while she kept her long knife close yet as soon as she raised her blade Talia changed the weapon’s direction. The other end of the spear lashed out and met Cassandra’s long knife and swirled around it, traveling down the length of the blade to her wrist and with a deft twist the weapon flew from her hand.

That same mischievous smile crossed the Ingvarri’s face but just as she thrust out, Cassandra turned and arched her spine as the tip of the spear sailed just past her back.

Bracing the pole against her own shoulder, Talia whipped the spear around and hit Cassandra between the shoulder blades sending her tumbling. Her body automatically reacted and Cassandra ducked her head as she fell forward and angled over her shoulder turning the fall into a roll yet when she righted herself Talia was already on her.

The spear slapped the ground but Cassandra had already moved out of the way and she kicked the weapon from Talia's grasp sending it sailing through the air and landed tip first into the grass a few yards away.

They locked eyes for a fraction of a moment then Talia made a mad scramble for the staff as Cassandra recovered her long knife and chased after her.

“Stop playing with each other!” Yula called out. “Twenty seconds!”

Talia dove, her hand wrapping around the spear just as she tucked into a roll then flung her legs out and flipped to her feet just in time to block Cassandra’s strike. Her wrist began to turn and suddenly Talia was on the offensive forcing Cassandra backwards.

Hand over hand she spun the spear and Cassandra’s blades deflected every strike in blur of movement and a _ting!_ of steel. Talia’s hand went high and just as Cassandra knocked the end away, the Ingvarri released her top hand let the momentum from the blade swing the other end up. It caught Cassandra under the leg and as soon as it ascended it hit the back of her knee and made her leg collapse.

But instead of falling forward within range, Cassandra forced her weight backwards and tumbled.

The moment she righted herself, she thrust her sword out just as she saw saw a flash of metal before her eyes...

_“Hasht!”_

They froze.

Cassandra looked at the tip of the spear inches from her eye just as Talia looked at the edge of the sword against her chest, both warriors suspended in time.

“Enough, enough,” Yula waved at them. “ _Vdyr Syv Rhanvari,_ both of you...”

“You are lucky, Cassa,” Talia grinned as she pulled the spear away.

" _I'm_ lucky??"

“You two are my disaster _rhanvari_ ,” Yula said shaking her head. “Tali, move five would have ended the fight. Cassa, seven and your back foot was out of position. _Aish,_ is it because we have an audience today that you two are trying to show off?”

“ _Ha!_ Five! That means I win!” Talia said, pointing a finger at Cassandra’s nose.

“I had you in four,” Cassandra countered batting her hand away.

Putting a dramatic hand on her chest, Talia said, “You doubt the eyes of our most fearless _skaikandr?_ You should know better, Cassa. Though you _would_ have had me in four had you not been showing off for your _kaljor_ \--”

Yula suddenly snatched the spear from Talia’s grasp and put a hand on her face and teasingly pushed her away. “You were showing off too, Tali. Next time use your primary.”

She threw the spear back to Estassia then motioned for them all to gather around. This wasn’t working. They were a well rounded team, they just needed to get past their own hubris and act like one.

Yula stroked her chin and eyed the lineup then pointed to Nahdi and Saia then shook her head. “ _Nej. Stassi e Nahdi, Cassa e Tali.”_ Then with a raised eyebrow she looked at her two disaster sisters and said in a tone of a mother talking to very unruly children, “Do take this seriously.”

As the warriors took their positions, Talia elbowed Cassandra in the side and Cassandra in turn shoved her in the shoulder and Yula sighed and muttered to Seiga to give her strength.

They drew their weapons and for a moment Talia eyed Estassia’s spear longingly and the other woman protectively pulled it closer to her body and shook her head.

_“Gej!”_

There was a howl of wind as Estassia’s spear immediately cleaved down the center separating Cassandra and Talia forcing the former to the left and the latter to the right towards Nahdi then things quickly turned chaotic. The longer reach of the staff weapon carved wide circles around them forcing all of them backwards yet as Cassandra tried to advance she found herself spinning out of the way directly into the path of Nahdi’s sword.

Metal flashed before her eyes and Talia caught the blow on her own blade then turned her wrist and knocked it aside saving Cassandra from having a very bad day. There was a whistling in the air and she heard more than saw the end of the staff come around. She ducked then brought both blades up and blocked just as the other end of the staff whipped towards her jaw.

Cassandra caught it on her sword and forced it low then captured it with her boot and forced the tip into the ground. But Estassia was fast and as soon as Cassandra whipped her leg around and her center was exposed, Estassia kicked her square in the chest. The impact forced her several steps backwards but Estassia was quick to chase but she did not simply follow Cassandra but rather _fly_ at her. Her green dreadlocks whipped around her face as she spun and kicked in magnificent arcs perfectly in balance with her spear like it was an extension of herself, traveling first across her arm then around her neck.

An alarming number of expletives filled Cassandra’s mind and she scrambled backwards to put space between them. Out of the corner of her eye she passed Talia and Nahdi, their blades locked and limbs flying as each tried to get the upper hand. Nahdi suddenly lifted her elbow high and angled her wrist low then flipped Talia’s sword out and away forcing her body to twist. But instead of resist, Talia flowed with the momentum and she grabbed her sister’s shoulder then brought her leg up and hooked the back of her knee around Nahdi’s neck and they both tumbled to the ground.

With an _oof!_ Nahdi landed on her stomach and Talia quickly regained her feet, stepping on her sister's back as she scrambled away. An angry grunt escaped Nahdi's chest and she pounded a fist into the soft earth then pushed herself up and quickly gave chase.

“Stop _playing!”_ Yula bellowed. “ _Vdyr Syv Rhanvari_...”

With Nahdi close behind, Talia rapidly approached Cassandra who was being forced back by the endless whirlwind of Estassia's spear.

“ _Cassa_!”

She turned and saw Talia run at her twirling a finger in the air and she immediately knew what she wanted to do. The moment her sister got close enough, Cassandra bent over and she felt Talia’s back press against hers as she rolled above her like she was a table, her blade spinning above her in a wild arc that caught Estassia’s spear and forced it wide. In the next instant, Cassandra sprung up and swept her weapons out and sent Nahdi reeling backwards.

But more than one Ingvarri could play such a game. With a mighty heave, Nahdi kicked Cassandra away then shouted to Estassia. Her spear pushed Talia's sword aside then Estassia sprinted towards Nahdi who suddenly dropped to her knee. A boot touched Nahdi's back and in the next instant Estassia launched herself into the air and twirled her weapon above her head and leapt straight at Cassandra. 

There was simply no time to swear as Cassandra desperately tried to moved out of range. But just as she descended, Estassia landed in a roll then released her top hand and spun the spear around centimeters above the grass and caught the back of Cassandra's boot sending her tumbling to the ground.

With a heavy sigh, Yula put a hand to her forehead and tried to keep the smile from her face.

“ _Aish_ , they are having too much fun,” she said. “Detta, make them take this seriously.”

The axe that had rested so peacefully against the ground was suddenly raised up and with a grin the large warrior gave a mighty yell and leapt into the fray.

“Saia, two silver for each of them you can disarm,” Yula said and her sister nodded, the smile that slid across her face perfectly imitating the sound of her straight edge being drawn from her sheath.

If the shaking of the earth beneath their feet wasn't enough to warn them, the roar surely was. With eyes wide, Nahdi and Talia pushed off each other’s swords just before the axe smashed down and cleaved the earth between them. Nahdi bowed low and spun, her foot connecting with the back of Detalla’s leg but the larger woman held firm and as she peered down at her smaller sister, Nahdi gave her an innocent smile then dove out of the way as a very large fist began to descend upon her.

Without a sound Saia moved through the chaos on swift feet, her single straight edge held against her spine. As she approached Cassandra she brought the weapon forth trapping her sister’s wrist between her hands and wrenched her knife free. In the next moment, Saia suddenly raised her hips and rotated her leg in a circle, forcing Estassia’s spear away from her top hand then Saia twisted her body and spun and caught Estassia's wrist between the straight edge and her arm and flung the spear away.

Behind her Cassandra struck with her sword but Saia ducked and as soon as her sister’s momentum carried her past her, she kicked her in the stomach and sent her flying backwards. With an _oof!_ of air rushing from her lungs Cassandra rolled with the impact and her back hand came upon the familiar feeling of cold steel.

“Stassi!” she shouted then threw the spear.

Her sister caught it easily and twirled it just in time to catch the edge of Saia’s blade. There was a surprised shout and suddenly Saia and Estassia moved apart just as Nahdi fell between them. She shook her head trying to clear the stars from her eyes and Estassia held out a hand and helped her rise.

But there would be no respite.

“ _Vhit vhit vhit!”_ Talia shouted as she leapt between them and behind her was the sound of a mighty roar.

They scattered just as Detalla’s axe glinted in the sunlight and came crashing down and that’s when the sister’s looked at each other and an unspoken truce was formed.

It was obvious by now who was fast and who was slow and as much as she hated to admit it, Cassandra was with Nahdi in the latter category. So as she angled to take up position behind Talia, Estassia, and Saia her three sisters charged forward with her bringing up the back.

Saia went left and Talia and Estassia went right yet Detalla would not be so easily fooled. She slid her foot back and just as her sister’s closed in she spun, the arc she created with her axe allowed her enough room to clear a path before she moved her hips and turned to her left. 

An upwards blow sent Talia and Nahdi’s swords high yet before Detalla could counterattack, something snaked between her legs. Estassia’s staff threaded between her forward knee and her backwards knee and suddenly she couldn’t move. Cassandra saw the axe flail and she used both her blades to trap it high so she could not bring it to bear down on her sisters but Detalla was still standing. It was Saia who came from behind and struck the back of Detalla's leg that caused her stance to collapse and once Cassandra saw the opening she took it.

With a mighty kick she pushed Detalla backwards and with her feet tied up by the spear she fell.

She landed hard upon the soft earth and when she opened her eyes five weapons were pointed directly at her face. 

And a slow clap filled the air.

“Much better!” Yula said. “There is hope for this squad yet.”

They lowered their weapons. Nahdi leaned on her sword as she put her other hand on her knee gasping for air while Talia thumped Cassandra on the back as Saia and Estassia helped Detalla to her feet. 

And Yula smiled.

This was much more like it.

Suddenly she pointed into the air and spun her finger in a circle. “Again!”

It was like a carefully coordinated dance yet Rapunzel knew none of it had been rehearsed. The fast hands and quick legs were reactions to the subtlest of body cues... ever twitch of muscle, every inhale, where their eyes were looking to the slightest shift in weight... it was an extraordinary display of control and Rapunzel couldn't help but be impressed. 

Therefore it seemed poetic that she should capture one art form with another.

She watched them all with a creative eye noting their heights, the shape of their builds, how their smirks tugged at the corners of their mouthes and put pencil to paper. It seemed that a happy Ingvarri was one that was always in motion and these women were certainly no exception. It was difficult at first trying to capture them in a moment in time; they moved so quickly Rapunzel couldn’t draw fast enough but she certainly did her best.

A graceful half circle curve became the starting stroke for Estassia: strong but lithe like a dancer and the way she twirled her staff certainly added to the image. She wasn’t slowed down by too many muscles like the others and Rapunzel quickly realized she was one of the fastest among them.

Rapunzel love drawing her; Her long green and brown dreadlocks cascaded across her body like the vines from a tree and the thin tattoos that ran horizontally across her nose and cheeks gave her a fierce appearance. It was such a stark departure from the traditional braids the Ingvarri favored but Talia had explained that Estassia was not from these lands. She was a foundling from a place far away that by the grace and fortune of destiny had made her way into the Seven Kingdoms purely by chance.

Her story was the same as many of the other adopted sisters; An attacked caravan, a lone survivor, a girl lost in the woods covered in the blood of her family too scared to even cry out for help. Like Talia, she was old enough to remember where she came from and had retained some of the traditions of her heritage while adopting those of her new family.

It was much the same with Saia. A warrior from the east, she was similar to Cassandra in that she was an adult when the Ingvarri found her fighting for her life. But unlike the others, she had not lost family, was not near death. She had been traveling alone with nothing but a stolen sword and the clothes on her back.

She didn’t need the extra Ingvarri blades to help her. Didn’t want it. But that chance encounter had changed her life and those who became her new sisters had saved her life in a different way.

They gave her a purpose.

Her line started rigid like the straight edge she favored yet the pencil began to flow away like currents on water, a perception of movement and speed to which the warrior was unrivaled. Rapunzel’s pencil flowed over the pages as she filled in Saia’s dark hair tied back in a tight braid atop her head yet was shaved along the sides. Three quick lines became the three scars like claw marks raked against her skull towards her left eye and a thin serious line became her mouth. She didn’t smile much, Rapunzel noted, but when she did it was like an assassin’s knife sliding free from its sheath.

Her pencil moved on the the next and she began with an outline of large shapes that became Detalla’s shoulders, impressively large yet as would be expected of one who so easily swung a giant axe. Muscular and impossibly lean, she had a serious face and when Rapunzel asked about her Talia wasn’t able to tell her much. Detalla wasn’t much for talking. She preferred to let her axe do that.

There was a shout that started low then raised up and ended in a high pitched whoop and Rapunzel looked up. There was a clash of steel as Nahdi struck high and turned, brandishing her blade in wide arcs to allow herself enough room to recover and counterattack. Rapunzel drew her in quick confident lines, direct, to the point, one who was never afraid to speak her mind which was reflected in the way she wielded her sword. The points of her shoulders and torso became a triangle with a gentle bow in the middle befitting one who was mostly edges but with a softness underneath that betrayed her love for her sisters.

Two vertical strokes created the foundation for a pair of evenly spaced legs that stood confidently upon the grass. Even though Yula's golden hair danced in the wind she was solid, unmovable, a force of nature with the blessing of one of the Seven to prove it. Yet though Rapunzel outlined her in rectangles, inside were the soft curves of well earned muscles and a gentle, caring heart. 

Then with a flick of her wrist Rapunzel sketched a mischievously curved line with a smile. 

Talia... ah, Talia herself was a bundle of energy and Rapunzel couldn’t wait to get her favorite reds to paint the flames of her hair and color the warmth of her smile. Though the Ingvarri wore mostly crimson like her sisters, she always seemed to add something blue green like the scarf around her neck or the cords that wound around her braids. It was a peculiar thing, something none of the others seemed to do and when Rapunzel asked about it Talia simply smiled and told her that like her tattoos, it was something to remember her old life by. They had lived by the sea, a small fishing village off the coast where she would run through the sand in the morning and gaze out into the vastness of where the water touched the horizon. It was where she had learned to fish at a young age and the first she ever touched a spear, but back then it was not used to do harm but simply to put food on the table.

They filled Rapunzel’s pages like storybook legends, weapons lifted high and striking mighty poses. And there towards the center of the right hand page was her very own Ingvarri warrior with raven hair and and her trusty twin blades.

How odd it was that given the perspective of time how so much in life could change. A soul can calm and a broken heart can mend filling with gold to become more beautiful than it was before even if the scars of the hurt still lingered.It had only been a day since Rapunzel first laid eyes upon the stone towers of Ingvarr and now... now she could barely remember what life was like before it. The trail of hearts that had followed her to the warrior’s capital and led back to Corona were suddenly swept away by the cool mountain air and the path back home slowly began to disappear like footprints in sand.

Yet as Rapunzel sat upon the grass and watched Cassandra with her sisters, she couldn’t help but feel like something felt like was missing. The sun and the scent of grass upon the fields had fueled her artistic muse in a way it never had before yet as her pencil glided over blank pages she couldn’t help but feel like she should be doing more.

There had to be something else for her here in Ingvarr. Some _place_ for her within within this city of warriors. She didn’t just want to live here, she wanted to... well, she didn’t know. She wanted to do something. To help people.

It’s what she was born to do, after all.

After all that time spent training to be queen, Rapunzel had carried around a sense of responsibility within her that just wouldn’t go away. It’s what she was destined to do, to lead, to help, to guide, to protect. How was she to face the future when the one thing she was supposed to be was no longer who she was?

She inhaled slowly and let the fresh mountain air fill her lungs then felt Pascal nudge her hand. She patted him on the head then helped him flip the pages of her sketchbook until she was looking into the past. The lanterns of her birthday celebration was painted in magnificent yellows and orange and Rapunzel carefully ran a hand over them. It seemed so long ago, the memories that had started out so wonderful then quickly turned devastating. The colors swirled away from the center out towards the edges where she had drawn the faces of her family.

Her mother, father, Eugene... she missed them so much yet...

Rapunzel turned the page and all those melancholy faces were replaced by the mischievous grin of Talia, the confident smirk of Nahdi, and dangerous yet warm smiles of the handful of other Ingvarri they had met up with on the road days before traveling to Ingvarr. It was a simple drawing, one Rapunzel had to do quickly because an Ingvarri warrior tended to move quite a bit and didn’t do well sitting for a picture yet the princess thought she had captured them perfectly. Nahdi’s arm was wrapped around Cassandra’s neck and Talia was laughing with her hands gesturing grandly as she recalled one of the many embarrassing moments of Cassandra she had the pleasure of witnessing.

On the other side of the page there was Talia again, this time braiding Rapunzel’s hair and threading it with beads as the princess-in-disguise sat wearing her new clothes of crimson and black.

It made Rapunzel smile. Never in her life had she met someone like Talia. So warm, so caring, so full of life. Even during those difficult days on their way to the Lorekeeper through contested lands she was the strong but gentle hand upon Rapunzel's shoulder that told her everything would be alright and the princess didn't know what she would have done without her, what she would so without her now. 

She turned the page again and a slow but wonderful sigh escaped her chest as she put a hand to the paper and traced the outlines of Cass in her Ingvarri uniform. The strong lines, the colors... Rapunzel had worked for hours trying to capture the moment so perfectly upon the page so she could hold on to it forever yet she knew the image in her sketchbook simply didn’t do it justice. The way Cassandra had smiled at her, the way she stood so comfortable, so confident...

When she had more time she would paint that moment again on the largest canvas she could find. It would be the most magnificent thing she ever created and hang forever on the walls of the castle...

Rapunzel stopped.

The castle.

Corona...

Her heart still called it home even though everything else told her something different. Could she soothe that ache in her chest, tell it Ingvarr was where she wanted to be? How many words would it take to convince herself? Rapunzel didn't know but it felt like words simply could not say enough. Perhaps, then, she could persuade her heart with the moments that existed here and nowhere else, with the number of kisses Cassandra left upon her skin and the number of nights spent in each other's arms. She could whisper to her soul that number could be endless, if she would only let it. 

The memory of the previous night lingered on her mind and she felt the rush, the excitement and her heart beat wilder because of it and in a way it seemed like perhaps it agreed with her.

That maybe Ingvarr was meant to be her new home after all. 

And that sense of purpose? Maybe she didn't have to be a princess or a queen to help people.

Maybe just being herself was enough. 

“Asiiii!”

Rapunzel turned just as tiny hands wrapped around her neck.

“Hi, Bjorn,” she said placing an arm around him.

When the toddler let her go he pulled something from a pocket and placed them in her hand.

“These are for you,” he said.

Sitting in Rapunzel’s palm were three purple beads each with different patterns carved upon their exterior. “Oh, that’s so thoughtful! I love them. Thank you so much.”

“He picked them out special for you,” _Amma_ Sanna said as she crested the hill.

"I'll have to ask Talia to help braid them into my hair," she told Bjorn with a smile. “Have you come to watch your mom?”

He nodded and as _Amma_ Sanna called out a greeting to her granddaughter, the warrior turned and waved at them. Though Yula kept a steady gaze on the movements of her squad, she snuck Bjorn smiles and waves which he was only too happy to return.

“We always try to spend as much time with her as we can,” _Amma_ Sanna explained placing a hand on the top of the toddler's head and rustling his hair. “Yula was deployed for so long _Bjorn-ba_ thought she wasn’t coming home.”

She said it so quietly her words were almost a whisper struck yet they echoed so loudly within Rapunzel’s heart and a low trill from Pascal echoed her very thoughts.

“Why did she go?” the princess asked.

 _Amma_ Sanna folded her arms across her chest and watched her granddaughter with her squad and Rapunzel followed her gaze. She saw Cassandra moving slowly through a series of complex movements with Yula beside her guiding her arm around then down to meet Saia's blade and behind them was the sound of laughter as Talia gestured grandly in the air which elicited a rare chuckle from Detalla. 

“They needed her and she went," the older woman said simply. "It is the life of an Ingvarri warrior.”

There was something hidden behind those words and just when Rapunzel thought she had figured out what it was someone called from behind them and _Amma_ Sanna turned and raised a hand.

“ _Aish_ , it is time for me to train Orli’s group. Is it alright is Bjorn sits with you?”

“Of course.”

Before she turned to go, _Amma_ Sanna said a few words in Ingvarri to the toddler then ruffled his hair and made her way across the grassy plains.

Bjorn took an easy seat beside Rapunzel and with the insatiable curiosity of youth moved closer and gazed at the sketchbook open in her lap.

“Do you think that looks enough like your mom?” Rapunzel asked pointing to one of the figures. Bjorn nodded and Rapunzel smiled. “Who do you think this looks like?”

“Detta,” the boy said confidently.

“And this?”

“Li!”

Rapunzel laughed then a gentle smile crossed her lips. "Do you want to help me? I need to fill _all_ these empty pages," she said and flipped through her sketchbook.

The boy gasped and he let out an emphatic, _"Ya!"_

Rapunzel turned to a blank page and put the book in his lap his eyes lit up like the brightest of lanterns as he began to draw. The familiar song of Ingvarr rang out in the air as steel clashed like a hammer striking an anvil to forge the toughest of warriors and as Rapunzel watched Cassandra and her sisters practice, Bjorn sat in her lap and worked, his tongue sticking out as he carefully drew each line like every single one was its own masterpiece.

“Who’s that?” Rapunzel asked pointing at one of the figures.

“Mama and Li,” Bjorn said and the princess couldn’t help but smile at how much shorter he made Talia though she supposed to the eyes of a child, his mother must appear to be a giant. It was nice seeing them side by side like that. A picture of a family.

And Rapunzel suddenly had an idea.

Something wasn’t quite right yet the princess couldn’t put her finger on it. Scrunching her face, she narrowed her eyes then waved them all a bit closer together then held up a hand. “Perfect!” she said then she mixed the colors together and began to paint. It had taken a few days to find the necessary supplies as Ingvarri mostly painted shields instead of portraits yet with a little searching Rapunzel was able to find the materials to make her own canvas. 

And so on the third day she asked Yula to make her warriors stand still just long enough to for her to capture them all in a moment in time.

“How long do we need to stay like this?” Nahdi complained.

“Until she is done!” Talia replied rolling her eyes. “ _Oya,_ she has not even started, _rhanvar_.”

“Ingvarri are not very patient!”

“ _Nej,_ Nahdi, _you_ are not very patient!”

“ _Tava, rhanvari_ ,” Yula chided. “You can hold still for more than a handful of minutes.”

An exasperated sigh escaped Nahdi’s chest and she righted herself an resumed her pose. The creak of leather behind her made her turn her head, however, and she saw Detalla subtly flexing an arm.

“ _Aish_ , Detta, put that away before you hurt someone,” Nahdi said giving her a light shove which did absolutely nothing to move the larger warrior.

“They are muscles, _rhanvar._ That is the point,” Detalla replied.

In response, Nahdi turned to the side and mimicked her larger sister’s pose but with a much more dramatic air.

The bristles blended hues and smiles, cultures and relationships, crossing the boundaries of lines on a map and mixing them all together on the canvas. 

“What is this?” asked one curious Ingvarri who had seen Yula's squad striking poses from across the field just as several more warriors began to wander over.

“ _Oya,_ it is our official squad portrait!” Talia shouted with a wide grin.

The women watched Rapunzel work admiring the bold strokes, crisp lines, and glorious hues that popped off the canvas.

“ _Ai,_ can you do ours as well?” one of the warriors asked.

“Ours too!” another called.

“I’d be happy to,” Rapunzel laughed and Pascal trilled in excitement.

One of the younger Ingvarri came up to her and tugged on her tunic. “Do you paint shields?” the girl asked. “My _Amma_ has an older one that too faded. I want to restore it and give it her as a present.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea,” the princess replied. “How about I show you how to paint it so you can say you helped?”

The girl’s eyes lit up and a large smile appeared on her face.

And somewhere deep inside, the words that Rapunzel could not find to convince her heart to change its definition of "home" were no longer needed. 

*****

Muscle pulled tight, uncomfortable, eliciting a slight wince from Cassandra. Much more slowly she took a deep breath and rotated the stiffness from her right shoulder. It had been a long time since she’d felt this sore yet she supposed it was a good thing. It meant her body was adapting and while she wouldn't have called herself soft she knew it had been a while since she fought this hard against anybody. It was a welcome addition to her daily routine; no longer did she have to fight imaginary foes and pretend to hear the whisper of blades sailing past her body. It was easy to win an illusory fight but less so when one was facing off against a daughter of Ingvarr.

The late afternoon sun had begun to descend in the sky and with it the end of their final day of training. Tomorrow the squad would be activated for duty in service to the High Mother and she would join in the ranks of the most skilled fighters in all the world. 

Cassandra's mind wandered as she rubbed her neck and it was the whisper of a cool breeze that turned her head towards the field.

Off to the side, Detalla moved through her forms, her feet dancing in the grass as she swiped at imaginary opponents blocking then counterattacking in fluid movements. Hands moved in slow patterns as Saia showed Nahdi a particularly complex throwing technique while Estassia chatted easily with Yula.

And there off to the side near the fences, Talia sat next to Rapunzel crosslegged on the ground raising and lowering her hand in the air in emphasis.

“ _Ishtah,”_ the Ingvarri said.

“ _Ish tah,”_ Rapunzel replied.

Talia shook her head. “ _Nej nej._ ‘ _Eesh’._ Like “yeesh” but no ‘y’. _eesh-tah.”_

 _“Ishtah_.”

“ _Oya,_ yes, Rapsi!” Talia said with a giant smile on her face. “Next one: _Farveda._ Farewell. _Far-veydah.”_

Cassandra smiled. Her sisters had been so welcoming to the princess, chatting easily with her, even showing her how to twirl a spear... slowly, of course, so as not to smack herself in the head. They knew Rapunzel wasn’t a warrior yet that didn’t matter to them. They had welcomed her with the same warmth and kindness they had showed Cassandra and it absolutely meant the world to her. 

It had been her deepest hope that the princess would find peace in Ingvarr and as the days went by Rapunzel seemed more and more comfortable here among her sisters. They were her family too, Cassandra explained. In those quiet hours of the night as they lay wrapped in each other’s arm, Cassandra told her what had happened after Yula's ascension ceremony, how she had not only been chosen to join the squad but also the Ingvarri's family. She had said it quiet tones so her voice would not break yet somehow Rapunzel always knew and the princess had smiled at her with that genuine, warm smile of hers that always lifted Cassandra’s heart to a place beyond imagining.

“Cassa,” Yula called out suddenly snapping her back to the present. “We are heading back. Get some rest. Tomorrow we report for active duty.”

Cassandra raised a hand in acknowledgement and began to gather her things when she saw Rapunzel heading in her direction.

" _Ishtah,_ Cassandra," the princess said.

“Well, look at you,” Cassandra replied with a smile. “Talia teaching you some Ingvarri?”

“Just some of the basics along with a few phrases,” Rapunzel said, then she glanced behind her and Cassandra followed her gaze and saw Talia give the princess two confident thumbs up.

“ _Ae rinn... astre... astreigk yor kaerast... ende bre... brestan fyr va,_ ” Rapunzel said haltingly, her mouth tasting the unfamiliar words.

Cassandra lifted an eyebrow in confusion. “You would... lance my opponents in the chest for me?”

Rapunzel suddenly waved her hands as if she could erase the words from the air. “What? No! I mean, no... Talia said...” An helpless look crossed her face and Cassandra chuckled.

“It’s okay, Raps. That’s the literal translation but I get what you’re trying to say.”

But Rapunzel held up her hands and shook her head. “Wait, wait. I have one more. Let me try again.” Her face crinkled for just a moment as she tried to recall the words and with careful precision she said very slowly, “ _Ae tyr va myn esthreska, myn rykr, myn skildr_.”

A subtle change came over Cassandra's expression and her eyes widened and her brows raised just a bit. Very softly she replied, “ _E Ae rinn etlaska va varga sval vat rinn aldr yld_.”

The smile that blossomed on Rapunzel's face was so bright Cassandra took a short breath in then held it and quickly looked at Talia who simply winked at her.

“Did Talia tell you what that means?” Cassandra asked curiously.

“She said it was an expression of love,” Rapunzel replied. “What? Is it not?”

“It is,” Cassandra said quietly. Something had happened in that moment and she looked like she desperately wanted to say something but suddenly Nahdi called to them from down the hill. “We should, uh, head back,” she said instead.

“Sure. Let me go grab my sketchbook,” she said, her hand lingering on her arm for just a moment. 

As Rapunzel went to gather her things, Cassandra strode over to a very excited Talia.

<“Soooooo?”> her sister asked.

<“You had Rapunzel ask to marry me,”> Cassandra said.

< _“Oya,_ I _know_ , Cassa, I speak Ingvarri!”> Talia replied smacking her in the arm. <“Did you say it back?”>

Cassandra paused. <“It doesn’t mean anything. She didn’t know what she was saying.”>

Talia waved a dismissive hand in the air. <“I taught her like, what? Twelve words in Ingvarri? It is enough. She knows.”>

Cassandra shook her head and strode away from her sister but Talia moved in front of her and walked backwards so she could see Cassandra’s face. <“ _Oya,_ how many foundlings will you have? Ten? Twenty? You must name at _least_ three after me.”>

Cassandra swiped at her but her sister moved easily out of the way laughing. <“I will teach them to fight, _obviously,_ ”> Talia said. <“You are much too slow, Cassa.”>

As lighthearted as her jokes were, it stirred something within Cassandra that lived in a place so impossible to reach she had never dared look.

Such things... never in the world would she have thought...

She couldn’t even bring it to forth to her conscious mind. Things were just so... perfect. From waking up in morning to those final moments before sleep took her, Rapunzel was there in her arms yet only a few short months ago none of that existed. How quickly something like that could happen seemed impossible yet there they were in the fields outside of Ingvarr, no longer constrained to the walls of Corona and suddenly everything was... just...

Perfect.

She wanted to hold on to these moments, press them against her skin and wrap her fingers around them and never let them go yet she couldn’t. But she had someone with whom she could.

So as Cassandra glanced back at Rapunzel she thought that, well, maybe what she thought was perfection was only the beginning of something much more wonderful.

*****

It was rare to see a full moon so luminous and beaming yet though it shone so brilliantly in the heavens, its light never reached the earth as clouds spreads across it like gnarled fingers greedily keeping the glow within its palms refusing to let it be seen by anyone else. The land below became consumed in shadows making it difficult for eyes to pierce the darkness.

But Ingvarri were used to difficult.

They _thrived_ on it.

It was the hardest shift, the one between midnight and sunrise, and initiate junior commander Sasha and her scouting party had been out all night. Eyes were tired and bodies were weary wanting nothing more than to fall into sleep’s embrace yet their job was not done. Once daylight broke they could return to Valengarr and rest but until then she and her sisters remained vigilant on the outskirts of the training camp.

Watching.

Waiting.

They remained silent. The task was a test of their discipline as much as their fortitude and Sasha wanted to set a good example for her fellow sisters so she remained so firmly resolute that one might think she was blessed by Khatia the Relentless. It was her first assignment in command, after all, and she did not want to disappoint.

Despite the order for silence, there was a slight noise behind her, something between a gasp and a wet cough and Sasha turned. One of her sisters was crouched behind her and Sasha asked with hand signals what was wrong.

But the warrior simply stared at her and did not reply. It was only a few seconds later that blood began to gush from her mouth and run down her chin in thick rivulets. The eyes that stared at Sasha were blank and she knew her sister did not see her.

She was already dead. 

Sasha drew her sword at the same time she shouted a warning but for some reason she never finished the cry, the words sticking in her throat as she suddenly felt the air escape her chest. Was it fear that paralyzed her? She had felt fear before. Intense, paralyzing fear yet like a true Ingvarri she had learned to embrace it, master it, use it.

But this was not fear that stopped her.

Sasha sent a silent prayer to Seiga to give her the strength to move but after a single step she fell to her knees, her sword falling from numb fingers. That's when she looked down at her chest and saw it covered in blood.

Gravity pulled her down into its embrace and as she fell to the cold soft earth she barely had enough strength to turn her body to look up at the sky. She wanted to see the stars before she died, not the ground.

But as endless black hovered at the edges of her vision and death began to claim her sight, Sasha could not see the heavens covered as they were by a thick layer of shadows.

The light of the stars and that of the moon was gone.

And Sasha fell into Death’s embrace seeing nothing but darkness.

*****

The sky was beautiful with the light of the rising sun; crisp, golden, warm like the glow of torches guiding a weary warrior home. It chased the chill from the air and embraced Cassandra, placing a warm hand upon her chest that soothed her aching scars.

That’s why when it began to leave Cassandra begged it to stay.

She wrapped a hand around it but it slipped through her fingers and as the warmth receded the brilliant azure sky slowly changed to a deep purple. It was beautiful yet at the same time... horrible. Violent, like some godly hand was choking it. Yet through the mercy of that unknown hand the sky ceased to suffer and the mauve hue of the dying heavens slowly faded to black and suddenly Cassandra was staring up at an expanse so vast it had no boundary, no end.

Endless, imperceivable _infinitum_.

A high pitched noise filled the air that started low then grew more prominent with every passing moment as if an arrow was approaching from all directions. But just as it reached its crescendo, it ceased and was replaced by... notes? Musical notes. Yes... a pluck of a string, of a thread, then another, different this time. As each sound cascaded outwards, stars appeared in the sky until the entire dark veil was covered with an entire symphony.

Amidst the blackness swirled clouds of purples and blues, orange and yellows with mists of green and pink and an array of twinkling white stars like someone had flicked the bristles of a brush and spattered white across the canvas of space. Beautiful nebulae swept by trailing colors in their wake like a glorious wave. They orbited around Cassandra in slow movements, a carefully practiced dance that took untold lifetimes to master, a breathtaking waltz as old as time itself.

It was all so familiar to her. With an outstretched hand, she wove her fingers along the sea of stars and they curled around her like curious fish in water. They, too, seemed to know her.

A sudden spark of light caught her eye and she turned. Somewhere far away shone a single star among many. It flickered happily, dancing, singing, or whatever it was that joyous stars did in the heavens and it called to her speaking in a language beyond sound that Cassandra didn't understand. She gaze at it curiously and as she watched it began to pulse, changing from white to orange to red then, suddenly, with one spectacular flash...

It was gone.

So abrupt was its disappearance Cassandra wondered if she ever really saw it at all. Yet as the other stars rotated around her, she saw more and more disappear from the veil around her. It began as a few... one here, one there. Hardly any significant enough to mar the beauty of the endless obsidian eternity that surrounded her. But soon more followed.

A handful here.

An entire section there...

Until only one remained.

It was... beautiful. A golden light in the sky surrounded by a pale blue hue almost too faint to be seen but Cassandra knew it was there. It wasn’t so much as she could see it as feel it, that soft cyan glow. It called to her in a way unlike anything she had ever felt before and as she reached out a hand to touch it the star began to change. The blue halo suddenly grew weak, flickering pitifully like it was trying to hold on to a dying ember. Valiantly it struggled but it simply became too much and as Cassandra watched it whispered once then died leaving the golden star all alone.

With nothing to protect it, the beautiful star pulsed then, as if something was stealing its light, it began to fade until...

Just like the others...

It too...

Vanished.

And Cassandra was left in a void of complete darkness.

_“Bellachandra...”_

She gasped and woke, her heart suddenly racing. It was dark and for a moment she thought she was still among the field of a starless sky before her eyes adjusted and she saw the timbers of the ceiling and realized where she was.

“ _Hmmm_. Cass, what’s wrong?” a voice asked sleepily.

She turned her head and saw Rapunzel laying beside her, the princess's cheek resting against her shoulder and an arm draped around her.

As far as Cassandra could tell, she herself had not moved and wondered how the princess knew she was awake let alone that something was wrong. It wasn’t until she felt the warm hand on her chest that she realized Rapunzel had simply felt the pulse of her rapidly beating heart.

“Nothing,” Cassandra whispered and put a hand over hers, forcing herself to calm down with long measured breaths. Very slowly the adrenaline faded, the moment passed, and she was herself again.

Rapunzel groaned softly and buried her face further into her shoulder then inhaled deeply and let it out in one long sigh that felt so warm on Cassandra’s skin. A handful of seconds later and her breathing became steady and she fell back into a calm and soothing sleep.

Cassandra watched her drift off for a moment before turning to stare up at the ceiling as the whispers of the dream faded, among them the voice that had called to her with a name she felt like she should know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snuck in a quick pic of Eos cuz I've been having way to much fun making art lately


	11. House of Cards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the unexpected arrival of two guests, the High Mother finds out Rapunzel is in Ingvarr.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sneaking Into Ingvarr - “The Stowaway” by Harry Gregson-Williams  
> A Talk Among Sisters/Cassandra Talks with Rapunzel - “Silver Comforts Jim” by James Newton Howard

In the early morning hours, the mountains seemed just as any other. Nothing special. Nothing spectacular. A mere sea of blue stones coated with blankets of green so unimpressive that one would simply say _If you've seen one mountain, you've seen them all._

Yet as soon as the sun rose over the fjords, the first rays of light reached out and bathed the tip of Ingvarra's spear in gold and the might and majesty of the warrior capital began to reveal itself. Heavenly skyfire washed over the First High Mother and her stone sisters and Eugene couldn't help but think one of them was staring straight at him. It was unnerving at best. Creepy and downright terrifying at most.

His shoulders began to ache propped up as they were but he ignored the discomfort and remained on his stomach atop the hilly overhang that looked down on the towering spires of the castle. The military capital of the most powerful nation in all of the Seven Kingdoms stood defiantly against the sky, the mighty stone warriors that guarded it piercing the heavens with their weapons of and helms that shone so brightly against the sun.

It was easy to find once they navigated the mountain pass but getting to said pass, well... that had been another story.

Whereas one might have used the the term “lost”, Eugene preferred “scenic route” yet no matter what he called it, Lance did not share in his optimism.

They had been making good time... initially. Staying about a half day behind allowed them to remain just far enough away not to be noticed yet they were still able to follow Cassandra and Rapunzel’s tracks while they were still fresh. But once they reached the rocky hills and the dense forest valley it was like they had disappeared from the road completely.

So what if Eugene was a bit rusty? Being out in the wilderness wasn’t something he had forgotten it just, well... wasn’t as sharp as it used to be. Life inside the castle walls of Corona had been good to him. There was no need to go traipsing about in the dirt and sand and anything else that was hell on sensitive skin and damned near impossible to get the smell out of his clothes. Oh, and daggers. Mostly daggers held by guys who wanted to slice open that painstakingly moisturized-to-perfection skin of his and he had worked _too hard_ to get that lotion the right consistency to let that happen now!

A bubble of frustrated air huffed out of his lungs. It wasn’t like him to be this agitated and he absolutely hated the feeling.

Despite his boasting of being one of the most eminent of world travelers, Eugene had never been this far north. There was no reason for him to be. There were no cities, no barons, no counts, no dukes (or attractive duchesses, for that matter), nothing worth stealing out here. Just some small towns scattered across mountainous lands that were more a pain to traverse than they were worth. Even if he had wanted lay low for a while, the northern mountains were certainly not the place to do it. Every thief, brigand, and rogue had heard the stories about trespassers simply... disappearing.

And with such stories began the rumors.

A magical shroud that protected some ancient holy land that once you stumbled upon you couldn't get out.

A lair which slumbered a dragon... or two. Hmm... maybe three. Something with more than one head, Eugene was sure as he tried vainly to recall those campfire tales. Maybe he was thinking of a hydra... Whatever the creature, it was rumored to eat people and that was enough.

Besides, the further north they wandered, the further into Ingvarri territory they went.

And the colder that feeling in the pit of his stomach got.

Out of all the places they could have run to, Cassandra had taken Rapunzel here. But why?

He remembered their conversation, of course, back before all the messy business with the shard, the sharp remark Cassandra had made that cut the air as quickly as the edge of her blade. A blade, Eugene realized, that was covered in Ingvarri sigils. She had spent some time there, that much was obvious, but whether she had done so by choice or by force he didn't know. 

Yet the reason was less important at the moment than where they had actually gone. Unless Cassandra knew some secret way through the mountains or was able to make a deal and cut through occupied land and have their tracks covered, he was stuck with taking the long way around.

It was frustrating losing all that time but that burning in Eugene's heart persisted and almost a week later they saw the cliffs open up and the fjords in the distance with the city of Ingvarr nestled between them. 

Getting into it, however, was another matter.

“So how are we going to sneak in?” Lance asked as he lay on his stomach peering down at the stone walls.

“That... is a great question,” Eugene replied. He felt his friend shift beside him and without even meeting his gaze Eugene knew the kind of look Lance was giving him.

“You mean to tell me you haven’t even considered how we were going to get into a city of warrior women??” Lance asked in disbelief. “I mean, I don’t know why I’m surprised, but I am. I’m shocked. Stunned, really. Perhaps even flabbergasted...”

“I get it, Lance!” Eugene said quickly. “But, hey, come on! We’ve snuck into more difficult places than this! We’ve broken into throne rooms before, stolen royal jewels! Consider this just another challenge. How hard can it be?”

Suddenly there was a light rustling of leaves above them and a flutter of wings and Lance looked up. Resting comfortably atop a branch was an falcon that peered curiously at him, cocking its head to the side and staring at him with sharp predatory eyes. It was a stare Lance involuntarily recoiled from. Not that he hated birds. Turkeys and ducks were delicious... geese too. Pheasant. Quail. Ah, with cranberry sauce...

Ah, no, he loved birds! Just not ones that had a terrifying wingspan and talons sharp enough to rip his face apart.

With a nervous hand, Lance tried his best to shoo it away but its steady gaze made it clear it wasn’t afraid of him. Without his eyes ever leaving the bird, Lance reached over to tap Eugene on the shoulder but before he could do so, the falcon gave a mighty downward stroke of its wings took flight.

“...Like a sewer system or something, though I’d really rather not. Not with these clothes. Or hair. Or anything. You know what? Forget the sewer plan,” Eugene was saying.

“How about we dress up in some armor and pretend to be Ingvarri warriors?” Lance suggested.

In Eugene’s opinion, he would have called the laugh that escaped his own mouth charming but to others like Lance they would have called it an amused cackle.

“Great idea, Lance! We’ll just find some some random armor and grow our hair out and I’m sure we’ll _blend right in!_ ” Like a dervish Eugene suddenly threw up his hands. “Have you seen us, Lance?! I’m not sure either of us have the physique for that plan."

“Speak for yourself, sir!” Lance said placing an offended hand on his chest. “Besides, I don’t see you coming up with any better ideas!”

“I’m working on it! Besides, I’m not shaving my goatee! Like, are there really _no_ men in this city?? None at all?”

Lance simply shrugged. “I’ve never been to Ingvarr and the only stories I’ve heard are about their victories in battle. _Mmmm_... an entire city of strong women. This is definitely my kind of place.”

“Focus, Lance!”

“How about we escort you there as our prisoners?” a voice said from behind them.

Both men turned and surrounding them were seven very fierce, very serious looking women with quite the variety of weapons pointed at them. One of the warriors held up her arm and with a graceful flutter of wings a very familiar falcon settled onto her leather bracer.

“Oh. Hello, extremely... buff... women,” Eugene said and waved a hand at them.

“Well, _hello_ ,” Lance said melodically. “My name is Lance, and--”

“I too have a lance but it is much sharper than you,” the woman interrupted. “Now, what was it you were going to steal from us?”

Eugene held up his hands in defense. “What? No! No, we weren’t going to steal anything, we just wanted to go see some of our lady... friends. Lady friends.” He gave them his biggest most innocent smile which resulted in several narrowed eyes and at least a few glowers. The tip of one sword inched just a bit closer to his nose, so close that he could see his reflection in it.

A reflection, Eugene realized, that was incredibly handsome.

“Okay, ladies, I didn’t want to have to do this but you leave me no choice. Here comes... The Smolder.”

Lance groaned and put a hand over his face. “Oh, I can’t watch.”

It was like shaking hands with an old friend and with practiced ease, Eugene fluffed out his lips and batted his eyelashes. The slight tilt of his head caused his voluminous hair to bounce and he put a gentle hand underneath his chin.

And with one swift signal from the falconer, both men were forced to their knees, their hands behind their backs.

“Oh, come on! You didn’t even get to see my good side!” Eugene muttered with a wince as the ropes were tightened around his wrists.

*****

Silence.

Not the preferred ambiance of creaking metal and mysterious drips one was accustomed to in a jail cell but rather a thick silence under the unmovable stare of the queen of Ingvarr. She did not speak, had not spoken since they were dumped unceremoniously at her feet several minutes ago and all she did was stare at them with cold dark eyes.

Perhaps she was waiting for introductions, Eugene mused. That... or maybe she was simply deciding which method she wanted to use to remove his head from his neck. Did they... did they even have _trials_ here?? There was so much he didn't know about the Ingvarri but nonetheless it was a thought that made his mouth run dry. But even though fear held his tongue, he scrambled to think of the words necessary to convince the queen that their capture was just one big misunderstanding when she suddenly folded her arms behind her back and drew her shoulders tight and drew in breath to speak.

“My scouts tell me they overheard you talking about _stealing_ from me,” the queen stated. Her eyes narrowed and Eugene realized she had not yet blinked.

He swallowed hard. “Well, that’s not entirely true...” he began.

“My daughters do not lie,” she said suddenly. “Not to me. You, however, I have no reason to trust. Let’s start with who you are.”

Seeing his chance for proper introductions, Lance perked up and puffed out his chest. “Well I’m Lance, and this is Eugene--”

“Why are you trying to sneak into my city?” the sovereign interrupted.

“We’re... looking for someone,” Eugene said. “A friend of ours.”

With measured strides the queen came forward and descended the steps of the dais, her eyes never leaving the two men on their knees before her.

“So far what you have told me is true, but not the whole truth,” she said evenly. “So I will ask you again, Eugene Fitzherbert, Captain of the Coronan Royal Guard, _why are you in my city?_ ”

The blood in his veins suddenly ran cold. The feeling was familiar... a spike of adrenaline before a heist, that rush of jumping into a situation he realized was going to go south at any moment, the thrill of the chase he knew he would always walk away from. But that feeling was always followed by a way out and now as he looked into the warrior queen’s eyes he felt trapped and suddenly all that energy in his body turned into nervous fidgeting.

“Ah, okay. So you, uh, know me, I take it?” Eugene said trying not to stumble over his own words. “Great. That’s great. Yes, I am Captain of the Guard. Of Corona. That is indeed where I’m from. Quite a long journey from Corona, actually. Have you thought about moving your kingdom a bit closer to the coast? Cuz, haha, that would really help us cut down on travel time...”

One sharp look from the sovereign suddenly felt like an invisible knife pressed against his throat and he shut his mouth.

“I will not ask you again,” she said simply.

Eugene cast a sideways glance at Lance who looked at him helplessly. If the queen already knew who they were yet still asked them, it meant that she knew more than she was letting on and she had tried to capture them in a lie. What else did she know? 

That was the dangerous question Eugene didn’t have the answer to but the solution was simple: he had to tell her the truth.Yet there was one important piece of information the queen had revealed: She didn’t know that Eugene was no longer Captain of the Guard and that was something that could work in his favor.

“Soooooo, I wasn’t lying. Before. About trying to find a friend," he began. "We really are. We’re on a mission to protect the princess and--”

Before he could continue the queen grabbed the front of his vest and lifted him to his feet, the guards behind her making no move to intercept. Clearly their matriarch was a much bigger threat to Eugene than he was to her.

“What _princess_?” she said, emphasizing each word very carefully.

“Of... of Corona...?” Eugene said grimacing just slightly. He had meant it as a statement but his voice involuntarily curled up at the end turning it more into a question.

“The princess of Corona... is in my city.”

The abruptness with which she released him caused Eugene to fall backwards.

“Well then, Captain, you are in luck,” the queen said. “I know exactly where she is.” 

With a few sharp commands in a language he didn't understand, the guards turned and went to carry out her orders but Eugene was able to catch one familiar name among many: _Cassandra_.

His bonds began to loosen and he quickly brought his hands before him and rubbed his wrists while another untied Lance. Ah, no more restraints! Surely that was a good thing, right? Very rarely had Eugene been in a situation where his shackles were removed in jest so with a hopeful heart, he dared to believe things were looking up. 

“So, uh, what do we do now? Tea party? Do you drink tea here in Ingvarr?”

The queen cast him an icy stare. “You will wait here. I am bringing the princess to you.”

And suddenly the relief of his newfound freedom filled with panic.

“Ah, okay, great. I appreciate that but here’s the thing... this is more of a stealth kind of mission. She doesn’t really know we’re here to protect her so--”

“Yeah, we’re like ghosts,” Lance added waving his hands spookily. “Staying in the shadows, beating up bad guys without her knowing. Just some low key hero stuff.”

“I don’t care about your mission,” the matriarch said. “She will be here within the hour.”

So as they waited under the watchful gaze of the warrior queen, Eugene couldn't help but feel like things were about to get very messy.

*****

It was pandemonium. 

It surrounded her, filled her senses and threatened to overwhelm yet to Rapunzel it was the best family meal she had ever sat down to.

Used to feeding battalions, it was quite easy for _Amma_ Sanna to prepare a breakfast suitable for hungry warriors. There was more than enough room for all of them at the rounded table and it was laden with food the likes of which Rapunzel had never smelled before. The spices tickled her nose and what graced the table made her mouth water.

Meat was the primary staple in the warrior’s diet and it graced the table in many forms: sausages drizzled with honey, fish with sweet mustard, eggs, and curious round patties made of several different chopped meats that were pressed together and combined with a mixture of spices that was so savory it was unlike anything Rapunzel had ever tasted before. In addition to the hearty fare there were also plenty of cheeses, vegetables, a type of pancake spiced with saffron, and oatmeal with berries that grew exclusively in the mountains that gave off the aroma of fresh morning dew when bitten into. It made the food of Corona taste bland by comparison.Though Rapunzel supposed she shouldn’t be surprised; situated at they were on the fjords, the Ingvarri traded and had access to things beyond the horizon she couldn’t even imagine.

But it was more than the food that Rapunzel enjoyed; its was everything that surrounded it.

It was the best kind of chaos. The conversation flowed freely and as everyone reached and passed for dishes, Rapunzel found food suddenly scooped onto her plate as many hands gave her helpings of things she “Simply must try!”

She saw Orli elbow her big sister in the arm for more table space to which Talia simply replied by leaning closer to the girl much to her annoyance and off to her right, Bjorn had already made a mess of his plate but Yula seemed more proud of his appetite than his manners.

But the thing Rapunzel noticed most were the smiles. They laughed and joked and teased each other with such carefree affection that it warmed the princess’s heart. 

“...simply cannot _vault_ into your opponent, Orli. It does not work like that. You must think _five_ moves ahead, always!” _Amma_ Sanna said from across the table.

“ _Oya_ , but Jobi did it and she knocked Sanja to the ground!” the girl complained.

“If Jobi were to wrestle a _krestach_ to the ground does not mean you should too!”

“ _Oya_ , _Amma_ , she was just practicing,” Talia said throwing up a hand casually in the air.

The older woman pointed a fork at her. “Bad habits, Talia, leads to--”

“Bad form,” Talia and Yula recited as one with a roll of their eyes and Rapunzel couldn’t help but chuckle.

“ _Aish_ , you know yet you still refuse to listen! You do not get to my age by _not_ listening to you elders!” _Amma_ Sanna chided as the table broke out into easy smiles and playful shoves.

When the good natured ruckus calmed, Orli turned to Cassandra and cast a curious eye to her long knife and sword resting against the table at her side.

“Why do you carry _two_ blades?” she asked suddenly.

It was a question Cassandra was unprepared for but she figured there was no harm in answering truthfully.

“Because Inga gave me two to correct an... imbalance.”

“Orli, you will learn soon enough that Wolf Mother knows best,” Yula added raising a fork full of food and waving it a the girl in a manner much as her grandmother had done and Rapunzel thought it was charming how alike they were.

“ _Shash_ , Yula!” Talia chided. “Do not teach her that before she even gets to camp. Anja protect her if she calls Inga ‘Wolf Mother’ to her face!” Her gaze then turned accusingly towards Cassandra. “One _rhanvar_ already made that mistake!”

And the table erupted into laughter.

A knock at the door caused _Amma_ Sanna to rise just as the mirth in the air started to settle and Talia was about to launch into an embarrassing tirade when the door opened and the glint of sunlight on metal caused her to pause. Standing at the threshold were two guards armed with spears dressed in the armor of the queen's personal detail.

“The High Mother commands the presence of Cassandra of Corona,” one of them said then shifted her gaze to those at the table, “and Princess Rapunzel.”

The look _Amma_ Sanna gave them was a questioning one and suddenly Yula turned to Talia and Cassandra.

“ _Jornhedda_?” their elder sister mouthed.

And Cassandra knew she was in a world of trouble.

*****

 _Not like this,_ Cassandra pleaded. _Please, not like this._

In the space between sleep and waking she had imagined this very moment, the moment when she stood before the High Mother in her throne room on a warm summer day with the light from the sun warming the cool stone just a bit. Except in those dreams of wonder and glory she was standing proudly before the warrior queen in her dress uniform, a white cape with golden sigils hanging from her shoulder and her sisters lining the hall behind her. 

Not like this.

Though she stood tall with eyes forward Cassandra felt like she had been forced to her knees in front of the sovereign mother, the matriarch's unwavering gaze prickling her flesh with questions she had yet to ask. It was by mere proximity alone that Cassandra knew Rapunzel was beside her, so close that they could almost hold hands yet she dare not. No one had spoken to them while they were being escorted to the castle or when they had been led through the gates without delay and the urgency of their arrival whispered to Cassandra: S _he knows._

After living safely anonymous within the city for almost an entire week, how had the queen found out about Rapunzel? Which moment had Cassandra been so careless that she let slip so valuable a piece of information? But, perhaps the most damning question, was why? Why did it have to be _now_?

Once they entered the throne room, she had her answer. It was that innocent smirk, the slight shrug of shoulders, that _Whoops! Sorry!_ tilt of Eugene's head that caused Cassandra to clench her hands into fists so tightly the leather creaked. It was inevitable, seeing him again, but she always thought it would be under less damning circumstances.

She had felt fear battle anger before but in that moment under the sharp gaze of the warrior queen, Cassandra felt the icy grip of dread win out so she kept her eyes forward and waited for the sovereign to speak.

“Had I known the princess of Corona was in my city, I would have followed the protocols as set forth in our treaties,” the High Mother said at last as she stood with hands resting behind her back upon the dais before her throne of stone and steel. It was a meaning that would go unnoticed by most, that she never sat in her seat of power in the presence of others. Sitting was such a passive thing, a vulnerable position, whereas standing said so much more. The pride and power of her stance was never mistaken for weakness, not when she stood to her full imposing height as she did now.

“But instead she has slipped through my gates and in the company of...” she looked hard at Cassandra, "... a daughter of Ingvarr. Ah, but not just any daughter. I never forget a face, Cassandra of Corona. Or should I say, Cassandra _rhan yr Ingvarr?_ ”

The feeling in the pit of Cassandra’s stomach warned her not to meet that gaze. “Yes, High Mother,” she replied simply with as much reverence as she could muster. This was her new queen, after all.

“Have you taken the oath?”

“Yes.”

Silence followed. Then...

“I see," the High Mother stated. "Yet you still snuck the princess of Corona into my city and decided to hide her from me. _Why_?”

For a moment Cassandra dared to draw a shallow breath and raise her chin just slightly bracing for whatever came next. She would take the blame. All of it. Talia, Estassia, Saia... the queen would never know they knew and Yula...

Stars, the look on her older sister's face had been as if Cassandra had stabbed her in the chest with a glass blade made of secrets then broke off the hilt. 

No more lies. If she was to start a new life here, she didn't want it to be built from such a weak foundation as untruths and come what may of this meeting with the High Mother, it would start with her confession.

Cassandra inhaled sharply then said, "I--"

“It seems the princess has been under the protection of one of my most skilled warriors,” a voice answered for her that was sharp and cold like a blade whispering free of its sheath.

A voice Cassandra knew all too well. 

The heavy footfalls of boots echoed loudly in the chamber with one who strode forward with strength and purpose and they came to a rest beside her.

“Besides, it seems a waste to rouse the honor guard when there are more pressing matters at hand,” Wolf Mother stated.

“Inga,” High Mother said slowly with a subtle tinge of surprise. “I suppose you have a good reason for interrupting my audience with a representative of an allied nation."

“I do, _Freyhedda_ ,” Inga said.

“Enlighten me,” the queen said with narrowed eyes and a voice as cold as the stone of her throne.

In a manner that was very much like her sovereign, Inga folded her hands behind her back and straightened her shoulders. "Two days ago three hours after midnight, a squad of initiates on defense duty on the western perimeter of Valengarr was attacked," she reported with militarist detail. Her tone was even, cold, like she was reporting the weather and for the first time, the High Mother's carefully crafted facade cracked and she lifted her head back in surprise.

“Casualties?”

Inga stared hard at her queen. “All of them.”

Silence followed as the words settled upon the air and fell to the ground like ash.

“Who is responsible?” the High Mother asked, a dangerous edge to her voice.

“I do not know. There were no tracks. Whoever spilled the blood of our _rhani_ simply vanished.”

“It is not easy to slay Ingvarri, even initiates.” The High Mother stepped up to Inga and said evenly, “Find out who is responsible for the death of my daughters and bring them before me.”

Inga cast a crisp salute but she did not turn to leave and Cassandra realized she had more to discuss with the sovereign. A discussion that needed to happen in private. 

"It seems Inga is right and that we have more pressing matters to attend to," the queen said. "So I will only ask you once: why did you not inform me of the princess's arrival _, rhan yr Ingvarr?"_

Cassandra knew the use of the title was deliberate; the High Mother was reminding her she was a daughter of Ingvarr and that was where her loyalties, according to her oath, should lie. But before she could open her mouth Rapunzel took a slight step forward.

"Because I asked her not to," the princess said. "We... left Corona... in search of sanctuary."

It wasn't entirely false. With her father about to enact sanctions on Cassandra, there was no other way for them to be together within the castle walls of her homeland. It was a less complicated reason, at least, but as she said the words she couldn't help but feel the deeper meaning behind them. That Corona was no longer her home.

The High Mother seemed to be considering her answer. It was a startling statement and out of all the excuses the queen of Ingvarr had prepared for, that was certainly not one of them. A declaration of sanctuary was not uncommon but to hear it from a princess... well, that was simply not something one heard of every day and just like that things became a bit more complicated. But she didn't have time for complicated. 

“What of these two?” she asked after a moment waving a hand at Eugene and Lance.

That was when Rapunzel finally turned. She had seen them and knew Cass did too, the way she had tensed up and clenched her jaw ever so slightly. It was... unexpected, seeing them there and whether it was the shock or the worry about being brought before the High Mother, all Rapunzel could feel were a complex series of emotions that stirred back up the storm in her heart, the one she had thought had finally calmed. 

"I... didn't know they had followed us."

The sovereign arched a questioning brow and held the hall in silence. Two trespassers, a disguised princess, a daughter of Ingvarr who had betrayed her oath, and her oldest mentor all standing before her at that very moment. Had she believed in coincidences she might be able to rest easier at night but as the mother of her nation, she had no such luxury. Priorities needed to be set. Order to give. And she had no more time to pick apart the loose threads of a story from a princess. 

“Princess Rapunzel of Corona, in accordance with the treaties signed by our nations accommodations will be prepared within the the fortress for you and your... companions,” the queen said casting a dubious glance at Eugene and Lance. 

“That's very kind of you but we already have a place to stay,” Rapunzel said daring to disobey. It may have been a breach of some kind of protocol if she happened to be one of her subjects but she was a princess talking to a queen. Though they were not quite of equal rank, she figured it afforded her some advantage at least.

The queen eyed her curiously. “According to the agreements of the Seven Kingdoms, any visiting royalty must stay within my walls.”

 _Protocol_ , the diplomatic side of Rapunzel's brain hissed. The damning line between morality and formality that more often than not leaned in favor of the latter, but she had been able to get around protocol before. She just had to be smart about it. 

“Unless those visiting are staying with family,” the princess said suddenly. “Then they’re allowed to stay in their protection at no responsibility to the host sovereign.”

The High Mother raised an eyebrow. It was an interesting move across the checkered board and the queen couldn't help but wonder... so she moved in counter and waited. “And which daughter of Ingvarr claims you as family?”

It was the slightest of movements, one that started slow but grew with certainty as that echo of a feeling, that whisper of her heart told Cassandra _I don’t want to hide anymore._ Without looking her fingers found Rapunzel's hand and wrapped around it and almost immediately she felt the princess squeeze back.

Something flashed behind the High Mother’s eyes, a barely perceptible glimmer of... something. And Cassandra realized the sovereign was amused.

“Very well,” she said as if she had just watched a knight outmaneuver a queen in a game of politics and treaties.

“Thank you, High Mother,” Rapunzel said.

The use of her proper title almost made the sovereign smile.

Almost.

“Queen” was a term that was thrown around so casually in the Seven Kingdoms that each ruler thought it interchangeable no matter what nation one was from. But that was only because they did not understand the social structure of Ingvarr. They didn’t care to learn. They never did. “Queen” suited them just fine even though it grated on the High Mother’s nerves.

She was not “queen”. She was a _mother_. The mother of her nation. And it meant so much more than the title of queen ever would.For this princess to address her as such... well, perhaps her time in Ingvarr wasn’t a waste after all. It gave the High Mother hope that ignorance among the other kingdoms was not an inherited trait.

She unfolded her hands from her back and gave a sharp signal. 

It was time to go. Without another word, Cassandra turned and with their hands still intertwined Rapunzel followed.

“Do we... do we follow her?” Eugene asked no one in particular. The only answer he received was the icy stare of the High Mother and, not knowing what else to do, both men hurried after them.

*****

Over the course of half a day, their humble accommodations suddenly seemed a bit too... crowded. It didn’t take much convincing for _Amma_ Sanna to agree to let Eugene and Lance stay at her residence but it was a request Cassandra had not wanted to make. It was unfortunate, however, that she didn't have much choice in the matter. The queen made it very clear that Cassandra was responsible for not only Rapunzel's safety but she was also accountable for the two men who had dared to sneak into her kingdom. 

Not like they would have gotten far. Cassandra had only been half listening as Eugene complained about being "wrongfully accused" of a theft he hadn't even been considering as they were escorted back to the doorstep of _Amma_ Sanna's house. It seemed Yula had been waiting and let them in yet Cassandra lingered outside. Disgrace, guilt, fear... she didn't want to bring those feelings inside with her. Not here. Not in this place where so many happy memories lived. 

"Hey."

When she didn't turn she felt a hand on her arm until finally she lifted her gaze to meet Rapunzel's.

"I need to talk to him," the princess said. Cassandra shook her head but Rapunzel gently placed a hand upon the side of her face to stop her. "Cass, please."

It was an effort to release the sigh that had built up inside her chest and when Cassandra let it out it didn't make her feel any better. "Fine," she replied softly. The warmth of the princess's fingertips left her face and suddenly she was left standing at the threshold of her own home not wanting to go inside. 

Lance suddenly felt eyes upon him and he glanced down and saw a toddler looking at him curiously. 

“Hey... kid,” Lance said. “Whatcha staring at?”

Bjorn scratched at his cheek, his neck craned up to look at the big man. “You are almost as big as Detta,” he said simply.

“ _Almost_?” Lance said. He elbowed Eugene in the side and muttered under his breath, “If that’s true, I wouldn’t mind meeting her.”

“He’s a kid,” Eugene said waving away the boy’s comment. “He’s probably exaggerating.”

“He is not,” the tall warrior named Yula said as she lifted her son off the ground. She eyed Lance curiously and raised an eyebrow. “Though I think Detta is a bit more than you can handle.”

“Oh, now I _really_ want to meet her,” Lance replied none too quietly.

“You might want to keep a low profile, Lance,” Eugene added. “I feel like we’re in enough trouble as it is.”

It hadn’t escaped his notice that both Cassandra and Rapunzel had barely spoken to him as they were escorted back to the longhouse by armed guards, though Eugene suspected (or rather hoped) that the armed entourage had more to do with them being in the presence of the princess than an indication as to how much trouble they were in.

“You will stay down here,” Yula explained. “ _Amma_ is getting things prepared for you.”

“Oh, uh, thanks. Hey, can I ask you something?” Eugene said glad for a distraction, any distraction really. “Your son lives here but there are no men in the city. Why?”

“My son lives here with me and _Amma_ because this is his home,” Yula replied in even tones. She tilted her head to the side and answered Eugene’s unasked question. “There are those who choose to raise families, some with men, but they do so on the other side of the fjords where the lands are more suitable for their needs. The capital is for warriors only and men are not allowed here as matters of war are left up to the daughters of Ingvarr.”

“So why is it that though? How come only women are allowed to fight?” Eugene asked. “I mean, there must be some pretty big guys around here if the woman are anything to go by...”

“It is not about stature,” the Ingvarri responded sharply and something in her gaze gave Eugene pause. “Women are the ones who create life. We know the pain and time it takes to bring a soul into this world and therefore we know the feeling of ending it. Our men know that and respect it.”

“Sorry but you don’t really strike me as the peacemaker type of people,” Eugene pressed.

She leaned in closer and the light from the window caught the wide muscles of her shoulders just right. “Just because we are does not mean the rest of the world is. We are ready to fight because others are foolish to seek it.”

“Eugene.”

Rapunzel stood near the landing of a set of steps, her hand resting against the wall. It was what she said with her eyes more than the words that never escaped her mouth and Eugene knew her well enough to know what it meant.

They needed to talk.

In private.

Eugene was only too glad for the interruption. He placed a heavy hand on Lance’s shoulder and followed her up the stairs and as he climbed, he could hear Lance ask, “So tell me more about Detta...”

The space was large, larger than Eugene would have thought. Had someone been motivated enough to do so, the entire floor could easily have been converted into several rooms and Eugene was a bit jealous that he and Lance had to sleep downstairs while all this space lay unused. Well, unused except for Rapunzel and Cassandra. It left Eugene wondering what Cassandra had done to be awarded a luxury such as this. Maybe tricked her way into that too...

Her absence didn’t go unnoticed and Eugene was thankful for that small miracle at least. The last thing he wanted was to have a heart to heart talk with the princess while she stared daggers at him from across the room.

Rapunzel moved towards the window, her back to him. “Eugene, why are you here?”

That... was a great question, and the more Eugene thought about it the more he realized he had no plan. His decision to quit the guard and leave Corona was done on a whim in a moment of emotional distress to calm a broken heart. Was he hoping for a grand act to impress her with his love for her? Like he would swoop in and save the day and she would fall back into his arms and all would be forgiven? All that time spent away forgotten?

What _did_ he expect would happen when he caught up with her?

The moment in the throne room... the way her hand had wrapped around Cassandra's made his heart ache in a way it never had before. Family, she had called her. Whether it was a ruse to get out of the thumb of the Ingvarri queen or the truth he didn't know but a cold feeling in his chest told him if he didn't want to lose her, he needed to act now.

“I told you I’m not giving up on us, Rapunzel,” Eugene said taking a step forward. He was watching her very carefully but the only move she made was to put a hand on what looked like some kind of crimson uniform on the table underneath the window.

“Did my father send you?” she asked so quietly he barely heard her.

“What? No! No, I... I quit the Guard, actually. To follow you here.” It sounded pathetic even in his own ears and Eugene couldn’t help but tell the truth. “Look, I know what you’re thinking and it’s not like that, I just... I hate how we left things back in Corona and we never really got a chance to talk about everything that happened to you and I just...”

A drowning man was less desperate for something to cling to and Eugene felt like he was floundering around in a sea of words until he finally closed his mouth. He had been angry last time they talked, angry enough to hurt Rapunzel and he knew it was a mistake and he wanted to do better this time.

“Look, I know things are kind of messy back home but... it’s still your home.”

The fact that she said nothing scared Eugene more than words ever could. He took a tentative step towards her and lifted a hand yet... he hesitated.

“Rapunzel... Corona is still your home.”

His own words hung heavy in the air wanting to settle on something, anything... the burden of the implication of silence becoming simply too much until, finally, the princess spoke. 

“I know, Eugene. And you’re right. I did make some promises." Then much more quietly she added, "I just need some time to figure out which ones I can keep.”

This time it was he who was silent.

“Wait, what do you mean?" he replied after a moment of being alone with his thoughts. "Are you saying that you’re never coming back?” 

But as soon as the words left his mouth the taste of them became stale as he finally got a good look at Rapunzel. There was no flowing dress made of lavender hues or tulip pinks that when she spun made the grandest of waves about her ankles. No clips of birds or flowers that decorated her hair. Instead she was shrouded in a plain tunic covered in crimson and black with her chestnut locks braided and decorated with beads of a people she didn’t belong to.

She didn’t look like the princess he knew. The person he loved. The woman he had married.

“You’re going to leave everything behind so you can live here with these people?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper like he didn’t want her to hear his question for fear she would answer it.

Rapunzel didn’t look at him. “I don’t know yet.”

Eugene took another step forward but for some reason the princess still seemed so far away. “Rapunzel, this isn’t _you_!” he said softly yet there was a desperation in his voice he tried so hard to hide. “Look at you! You’re... you’re not the same person anymore. I feel like I’m losing you and I don’t know what to do. Sunshine, look at me. _Please_.”

The emerald eyes that suddenly met his own were brimming with tears.

“I _am_ different, Eugene, and that’s what’s making this so difficult!” The words began to tumble from her heart out into the open and she didn’t know how to stop them. “Maybe I’ll return to Corona. Maybe I’ll stay in Ingvarr. I don’t _know_! I... I just need some time to figure things out.”

The tears that had threatened to fall finally did, cascading down like the waterfall of words that escaped her mouth.

“Rapunzel, I’m sorry. I... I didn’t mean to pressure you like that. I just... just tell me what you want from me and I’ll give it to you.”

And Rapunzel knew he would. He loved her that much and what pained her even more was she loved him too. But she loved someone else more.

“I need you to accept that I love Cassandra,” she said quietly.

Out of all the things he was willing to do, it was the one thing he was hoping she wouldn’t ask of him. Some place deep in his heart knew that if he acknowledged it, that he was admitting to himself that he was losing her.But one look at the tears in Rapunzel’s eyes and those feelings that drove him all those miles to the warrior capital of Ingvarr told his heart what the answer was.

“To do that,” Eugene said very carefully, “I need you to help me understand.”

He wasn’t saying he would or that he wouldn’t, he was simply saying that he would try.

But to do that would mean telling him everything.

“Rapunzel?”

He closed the distance between them and put a hand on her arm. “Please, help me understand.”

She nodded and together they sat on the edge of the bed and she told him a story.

Rapunzel was a gifted storyteller, she always had been. Words were her paintbrush and as she spoke she painted a picture in Eugene's mind that was so vivid he thought he could smell the steel and smoke in the air and hear the crickets chirp their nighttime songs. It began as he had suspected, the travel easy and carefree if not a bit tense as they left Vardaros but Rapunzel didn't linger on those memories. They weren't as important as what happened afterwards. 

Her words began to slow as she dipped her verbal paintbrush in red as if she was hesitant to add the crimson hues to an otherwise beautiful picture but she did and what Eugene experienced was something unlike any he had ever heard told before. The brutality of Cassandra's fight with the Ingvarri commander was... overwhelming. The impossible precision, the close calls, the amount of blood Cassandra shed... Rapunzel detailed it all so clearly and Eugene could see from the way her eyes seemed to stare at nothing that she was there again reliving that exact moment. But the softness of her words was more than just worry for Cassandra. It was the same quiet voice in which she had spoken to him as he lay dying in her arms inside the tower. The voice of someone who was forced to watch someone they love slowly slip away.

Except this time Rapunzel hadn’t been able to do a thing to stop it. For whatever reason, her magic was gone whether it was because she no longer had the sun drop or maybe it was the cost paid by using the decay spell, he didn’t know. But he could feel Rapunzel's pain, he could see Cassandra lying unconscious bandaged and bruised and had he not seen her walk through the gates into Corona just a short time ago he would have sworn this was where her story ended. 

People didn't come back from things like that.

And though the princess didn't admit it, Eugene could sense that she thought so too. 

So as Rapunzel took him to that moment of her at Cassandra's bedside her tone changed, her gaze softened, and she confessed with quiet words that it was she who had kissed Cassandra. Whatever shred of hope Eugene had left in his heart slowly begin to disappear as he realized it hadn’t been moonstone magic after all. No, it was just a trick of the heart, a moment he couldn’t even blame Cassandra for because she didn’t even know it had happened.

_I never did a damned thing about it because you were both so happy together._

Amidst all the close calls and constant danger, Cassandra had never acted on her feelings for Rapunzel, not even during those handful of moments when she didn't know if she'd live to see another day. No, she had been perfectly chivalrous the entire time.

It was Rapunzel who had crossed that forbidden line first. 

It could have been the grief, a kiss goodbye to lament the end of a friendship she had worked so hard to preserve after all they had been through but if Eugene wanted to believe that he should have stopped listening. Cassandra had lived, though she could barely be called "alive" but such things seemed to matter little to the warrior. Rapunzel got sicker, weaker, and Cass, injured as she was, had been the driving force that kept them going through pain and thunderstorms and the threat of an all consuming darkness.

That damned moonstone shard, Eugene cursed. If it hadn't been for that sliver of magic...

Rapunzel would have already been dead.

That's what the Lorekeeper had said, the princess suddenly revealed. 

Had he... had he heard her correctly? How could...?

Eugene watched as Rapunzel reached up and touched the shard around her neck so gently, so tenderly. It was true, then. So quick had they all been to blame that little piece of stone only because of what it represented. It was a remnant of dark times and an evil presence within the kingdom and Eugene could see that much of the king’s hatred had been misdirected. That particular evil was gone and what stood in his place was someone with a mistake trying her hardest to earn a place at the table of redemption.

The king had been unfair to her.

Eugene had been unfair to her.

It just took a story of blood and tears for him to realize it.

A story that was far from over. 

Frustrated, weak, and tired, the cure, it turned out, did not lie with the Lorekeeper. So with weary bodies and heavy hearts Cassandra and Rapunzel took that final step to a mystical place where gods once lived... only to find out that the place that was to be their salvation was empty. They had run out of hope, the moonstone incantation torn asunder by angry hands with nothing left but a waterfall made of stars that fell like cosmic tears. The way Rapunzel whispered about her last moments made Eugene feel like she was fading away before him in that very moment and the fear... stars, the fear was so real he had to put his hand upon hers to make sure she was still there.

“The moment I closed my eyes, I... I thought...” For one heart wrenching moment Rapunzel had almost said she didn’t know if she’d ever wake up again. But that wasn’t true. She knew that even in the darkest of moments, she was safe in Cassandra’s arms. The one who was always there when she opened her eyes, the one who chased away the darkness with those beautiful eyes of moonlight.

She remembered that moment so clearly. The sigh that escaped her lips was that of a last drawn breath and the hand that reached up to touch Cassandra’s face never felt the warmth of her skin that one last time.

But Rapunzel hadn’t been afraid. She knew that in the end Cassandra would find a way.

And she did.

“There's no spell, Eugene,” Rapunzel said softly. “There never was.”

 _ If you want her to be happy, then you might have to let her go,_ whispered a memory in Lance's voice. But was it really his friend who said it or was it the truth in his own heart? It felt different through it hurt the same. That dull, persistent ache in his chest that grew with each passing moment. Yet it was not the pain he felt for her but rather for himself. He had done nothing wrong though it felt like he had. No, Rapunzel was simply a different person now and he slowly started to realize that she was happier this way... and that's all he ever wanted for her.

Eugene looked at their hands together and forced a sad smile onto his face.

“I mean the way you tell it, the Cass in the story does kind of come off as pretty charming,” he joked and for what seemed like the first time in a long time he heard Rapunzel laughed.

She sniffed and wiped a tear away from her cheek. “Yeah, she is.”

There was silence between then.

Then Eugene asked, “How long are you going to stay here?”

Rapunzel looked around the room that had quickly become her second home and heaved a great sigh. “I don’t know. Until the queen of Ingvarr kicks us out for lying to her or until something else happens and we have to... run... again.”

It was the damning truth that made Rapunzel to want to leave those last two words unsaid yet they slipped from her mouth anyway, as the truth often does. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, that's what it always came down to. Leaving. Finding a place that could be home only to have to watch it fade in the distance. But Rapunzel was tired. Tired of looking for someone’s approval. Tired of running. Tired of trying to find her place in the world. Tired of all the complications when just a week ago life had been so simple, so incredibly fantastic she wondered if that was it, that it was the only taste of a normal life her and Cass would have together.

But it didn't have to be that way. 

Eugene shifted beside her and Rapunzel realized her thoughts had wandered. She cast him an apologetic glance but the look in his eyes betrayed his understanding. 

“Do you want me to stay or do you want me to go?” Eugene asked suddenly.

It was such a simple question, one so innocently asked, yet it startled her and as Rapunzel searched his eyes she realized he didn't mean right here, right now in this moment. 

He meant Ingvarr.

Very gently she placed her hand over his.

“I want you to stay.”

If words were a sea and emotions a storm, then Cassandra didn't know what the hell was going on inside of her. It was an evil maelstrom of thoughts and feeling that destroyed everything around her... her life, her plans, visions of the future that once seemed so close that were now just whispers of what might have been.

And that maelstrom had a name.

_Eugene._

A growl built up inside her chest but before it could escape she buried it deep down and what escaped instead was a frustrated laugh that quickly turned into a painful one. 

Cassandra had thought they were safe. That they no longer had to hide. That they could be finally be free...

But it seemed fate's design had other plans and she could feel everything slipping away. It had only taken a moment. A single moment that Cassandra wasn't even paying attention to, so distracted was she by smiles and laughter and days spent under the sun. Only yesterday Talia had teased her about teaching her and Rapunzel's twenty foundlings how to fight, how grand the oath ring ceremony would be and that she, of course, would officiate because she had so many embarrassing stories to tell. Only yesterday, it was, that Rapunzel had asked Cassandra to marry her. 

And it was only yesterday that Cassandra had said yes.

Something welled up inside her and suddenly she put a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes.

She had said yes. 

It was something she hadn't known she wanted, something she told herself she didn't need because things like that weren't for people like her but as soon as Rapunzel said those words... no, not words. It was a vow. A promise. An expression of love so revered it had captured Cassandra's breath like a stolen kiss and she hadn't hesitated to respond that with love undying, she promised the same.

Her fingers brushed against her lips and she pressed them together as she let the memories take her... memories of how those very lips had explored every inch of freckled skin. 

And Cassandra never realized until now just how scared she was of losing her.

“That is a look of someone with too much on her mind.”

Cassandra turned and saw Yula leaning against the door, arms folded across her chest. From an older sister Cassandra expected anger for betraying her trust and as her commander she expected reprimands for lying. Yet instead of a strict tone and harsh words there was nothing in the warrior's eyes but compassion.

“If I had to guess, I would say it has something to do with the men that are suddenly crowding my house,” Yula said taking an easy seat beside her. “What is on your mind, _rhanvarla_?”

Cassandra's lungs were simply too small to release the sigh that filled her heart. 

“It’s complicated, Yula.”

“Battle tactics complicated or an-old-flame-is-trying-to-steal-my-girlfriend complicated? Because I am well versed in both,” her sister said with a small chuckle. Cassandra kept her gaze lowered and Yula softened her smile and gave her a gentle nudge on the shoulder. "Talk to me, _rhanvarla_."

Well, what did Cassandra have to lose?

“Things have been so perfect that I thought we could finally be happy here,” she began sullenly. “I’m afraid he’s going to change her mind and she’s going to want to go back.”

Yula sighed with that knowing smile upon her face and looked up at the sky. 

“Cassa, it is not a matter of where you think she wants to go. You are worried you are not enough for her.”

It was the fact that she didn't want to face the truth of the words that made Cassandra look away. 

Suddenly a heavy hand descended upon her shoulder and shook it gently. “It amazes me that a warrior such as you has so little confidence in herself that the rest of the world has to keep reminding you how amazing you are. I am sure Rapsi has told you the same thing but in a different way. We can keep telling it to you as many times as you need to hear it but you need to start _listening_ to us.”

And Cassandra realized it was true. Yula's words, the way Talia teased and yes, even Rapunzel herself. The messages the princess sent her were not told in words but rather with touches that lingered on her skin and soft smiles that glowed in the light of the morning sun. Maybe it was the firm hand upon her shoulder or maybe it was the way those softly spoken words finally reached her heart but whatever it was it made Cassandra whisper to herself _Not here, not now, not in front of Yula..._ and she quickly wiped the back of her hand across her cheek and clear her throat. 

“Besides,” Yula added playfully shoving her sister, “an Ingvarri warrior is much more impressive than a _guard captain_.”

And Cassandra laughed. That, at least, was true.

They sat again in comfortable silence.

“I was sorry to have missed you when you passed through the southern valley a few months ago,” her sister said suddenly. “After you left Valengarr I did not know where you had gone and was hoping that if any of us ascended you would return and join us.”

“I had to leave, Yula,” Cassandra said softly. “There was... something I had to do.”

Her sister nodded in understanding, a small smile playing across her lips. “People to protect. Bad guys to catch. Damsels to save. Which reminds me...” She turned her head questioningly to the side and raised an eyebrow. _“Jornhedda, ai?”_

“Oh, you’re one to talk!” Cassandra replied shoving Yula just as the older Ingvarri began to laugh. “I hear you’ve got your own trouble with princesses.”

“ _Aish_! That much is true,” her sister confessed while she shook her head and grinned.“Still, Cassa, you should have told me. We are family now. There should be no secrets between us. And I _know_ Tali had something to do with this so do not think she is getting off that easily.”

Cassandra nodded but Yula elbowed her in the side and raised an eyebrow. " _Ya?"_

" _Yes,_ okay, I'm sorry," she said. 

Satisfied with her answer, Yula pushed herself easily from the ground and stretched her long limbs. “ _Amma_ has some _kafka_ inside when you are ready to join us,” she said then patted Cassandra on the shoulder once. 

“Thanks, Yula.”

It took some time to gather all her heavy thoughts and Cassandra didn't know if she had the strength to bring them all inside with her so she heaved a great sigh and let the anger go and suddenly her burden became that much lighter. Lance and Eugene were sitting quietly at the table by the time she walked in, their hands wrapped around mugs of _kafka._ They turned at her arrival but silence hung thick between them. Apologies, excuses... whatever they could offer didn't matter.

Without another word, Cassandra walked up the stairs. She saw Rapunzel sitting on the edge of the bed with Pascal in her hands like they had been having a private conversation when the floorboard beneath Cassandra's boot creaked causing them to look up. 

"Why is..." she suddenly stopped herself then tried again. "How did it go?"

The princess motioned for her to join her and Cassandra sat down beside her. 

"He came after me," Rapunzel began. "That's why he's here."

“Did your father send him again?”

“No. He left his post as Captain of the Guard.”

“If he told you that then he’s lying to you,” Cassandra countered quickly but just as she realized what she was doing, she forced herself to calm. 

“No, Cass. He’s not. I know him as well as I know you. He and Lance came on their own.”

"Then why is he--"

“I asked him to stay.”

The quiet whisper of her words stole the breath from Cassandra's lungs and for a moment she felt like she couldn't breathe. That peace, that sense of warmth and comfort Yula had so carefully placed upon her heart suddenly began to turn cold. And all that careful control began to slip away and she shook her head.

"He can't stay here."

"Cass--"

Cassandra suddenly got to her feet too nervous to sit still and too agitated to do anything else. 

"He can't, Raps. He just... can't."

"He's still your friend, Cass, _our_ friend--"

Cassandra pointed an angry finger in the direction of the queen's fortress. "Friends don't almost get you _banished_ from the home you're trying to make, Raps!"

"That was a misunderstanding."

"One _hell_ of a misunderstanding!"

“Why does him being here frighten you so much?” Rapunzel asked.

“I’m not _frightened_ ,” Cassandra replied quickly but five sharp words cut through her defenses and it shocked her to realize it was her own voice.

_Stop. Don’t lie to her._

She didn't know which scared her more, the fact that she _was_ frightened or the how quickly she had tried to shut Rapunzel out again. How easy it was to lie to her, to bury those feelings with the broken heart of her past life except... she wasn't that person anymore. What was she doing? 

Cassandra turned away. 

But Rapunzel had seen it. For just the briefest of moments she saw that fear in her eyes and the realization that came immediately afterwards and it pained Rapunzel to see how quickly Cassandra retreated into herself. It was if she had ripped the heart off her sleeve and clutching it to her chest like it was too fragile for anyone else to hold, like she couldn’t trust anyone else with it.

The princess touched Cassandra's hand and gently unwrapped the fingers that were clenched so tightly into a fist at her side.

“Cassandra, look at me.”

For some reason Cassandra felt guilty for not wanting to meet her gaze. It did things to her. Made her tell the truth, made her reveal her secrets, laid bare her emotions, and she didn't know if she had it in her to face any of those. 

But a warm hand touched her cheek, a hand, she realized, that was missing a familiar wedding ring.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Rapunzel whispered. "You and I have been through so much together I can't even imagine being anywhere else but with you. I know you're worried that Eugene's going to change my mind but it's not my mind that's telling me where I want to be." Those emerald eyes looked deep inside and a thumb gently caressed the scar along her jaw. "They wanted me to choose, Cass, and I realized I can only choose the one who stood by my side chasing legends.”

Cassandra's eyes went wide and in that moment something happened. All the doubt, all the worry, all the fear she had suddenly... disappeared. Gone, vanished upon the whisper of a breath. She closed her eyes and leaned into Rapunzel's hand upon her face.

Those fingers tilted her chin ever so slightly and their lips came together slowly. It was the way in which the princess kissed her, the confidence, the surety of the way she dipped her chin and pressed into Cassandra told of the strength of the bond that was there. It was the taste of her lips that whispered to Cassandra heart instead of her ears that they were going to be fine and she believed it. Each and every kiss... she believed them all.


	12. Othrei Dosk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yula's squad is given their first mission to find missing Ingvarri

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Orders to Deploy - “Coming Home - Part II / Bonus Track” by Skylar Grey  
> The Search Party - "Rust" by Hans Zimmer, David Fleming  
> To Strike At Shadows - “Your World Will Fail” by Les Friction (OR the instrumental version, they're both pretty boss)  
> (start at 2:45 or just listen to the whole thing)  
> Until Death - “Sacrifice” by Steve Jablonsky / “Come Back to Us” by Thomas Newman  
> 

Very slowly like wisps of smoke, the shadows began to recede as the rays of the sun began to climb over the fjords. It was a battle of light versus dark, a dance that had gone on for untold eternities, and the cold dim blackness retreated... hesitantly at first, then acquiescing with a gently bowed head knowing that its time would come again once the sun set. So until then, it fled. 

As the shadows pulled away, it swept over the ground, over leaves and vegetation, and over the glint of broken steel and the curled fingers of a lifeless hand. A golden glow took its place and the sun bade the slumbering body to wake, gently caressing it with its warmth... a warmth the skin could not feel. Distraught, the light moved on and cast its rays across the others, whispering with its magnificent amber touch _Time to wake up..._

Yet they, too, continued to slumber. 

And the sun realized they were beyond feeling. 

With a sigh of morning mourning, the light brushed the cheek of a beautiful face then turned away to find another, one, perhaps, who could feel the warmth it was so grateful to share. 

Though Iyana's eyes were open, she did not see the sun. Her sightless gaze was fixed staring forever at the bodies of her sisters around her, the sisters she had failed to protect as the tree at her back began to drink the thick blood that puddled at its roots absorbing it slowly like meal it didn’t want yet was forced to consume. Not a whisper of breath was left in her lungs nor strength remained to grip her spear, her last thoughts filled with pain and grief... and the fervent hope that her trusty falcon would reach the city in time to warn everyone of the evil before it made its way to the capital.

*****

Magnificent orange sunbeams filtered in through the window and fell across Cassandra's back like a lover's embrace. She knew that touch, that glow, the feeling that wrapped around her as she blissfully lay in the realm between sleep and waking. The light that kissed her scar was suddenly covered by the fabric of her jacket as she pulled it over her shoulders then she grabbed her sheathes from the table. Practiced hands secured her sword first, slipping it over her head and letting it hang loosely across her chest while her fingers lingered on her knife belt.

They had been prepared, of course, yet when the orders came that morning from the Leading General herself it suddenly became very real. Their first assignment, a chance to prove themselves. They were the newest squad in service to the High Mother, after all. It was time to show the daughters of Ingvarr what they could do.

It was simple mission really. A scouting party had yet to report back, last known location the southern pass. But though it seemed straightforward, the mission itself was cause for concern: A squad that had failed to check in meant there was trouble.

So as Cassandra tightened the belt of her long knife across her hips, she couldn’t help but feel a complicated mix of excitement and anxiety. The meeting with the High Mother had put her loyalty in question and she had worked too hard to let it all go to hell now. She would prove herself. She would show the queen what she could do. She would show them all. 

Her stare was far away, lost in thoughts of pride and honor that when a hand touched her shoulder she woke from her reverie and turned. The smile upon Rapunzel's face was as warm as the sunlight that filtered in through the window and she slowly lifted Cassandra's hand from her weapon and brought it to her lips.

The princess didn’t tell her not to go. Not to risk her life. Not to leave her there. She understood what she had to do and to Cassandra that meant more than the princess would ever know. Her fingers brushed against the side of Rapunzel's face slowly so she could feel it, trying to commit it to memory so she could carry it with her.

Their lips came together and as soon as Cassandra felt the princess's mouth press against hers she realized that Rapunzel could keep her there with the taste of her kiss alone. The power it had over her... she breathed her in and fell deeper into her heart's spell than she ever thought possible. Thoughts of duty and honor and glory suddenly became just words and nothing more. For what was duty without someone someone to protect? What was honor in a place where titles didn't matter? What was glory... without someone to come home to?

Cassandra pulled Rapunzel into her, the blankets wrapped around the princess's body slipping from her shoulder ever so slightly. 

They could stay there the entire day, never have to go downstairs, just here, the two of them, together...

And Rapunzel knew it. She knew Cassandra would remain in that kiss for as long as the princess wanted which is why she placed a hand on her chest and with one last kiss slowly pulled away knowing she had to let her go.

*****

It was a simple search mission. Search and rescue if it came to it. Search and report back if it didn't. Yet something about it sent a feeling through Cassandra’s chest that she found difficult to describe. Excitement, surely, mixed with a bit of adrenaline but it was so much more than chemical responses and the moment she gathered outside the gates with the rest of her sisters she realized what it was.

It was in the way Detalla hefted her axe in anticipation. How Talia adjusted Nahdi's scabbard upon her back then gave it a firm slap and a thumbs up. The way Estassia shifted from foot to foot like she wanted to run like a fox set free. How Saia smiled dangerously as Yula spoke quiet words to her like two thieves planning on stealing the crown jewels.

This was it, Cassandra realized. The moment she had been waiting for. No longer relegated to the wings of the stage, no longer passed over for a chance to prove herself. She stood among her family and knew without a doubt that this was where she was meant to be all along.

And Cassandra had never been more ready for anything in her entire life.

*****

There was nothing.

Not a footprint, not a single crushed leaf, not a bent blade of grass. But though the checkpoint was devoid of clues, it still revealed much.

“They were never here,” Estassia said as she crouched low, her hand hovering just above the earth with her head tilted to the side like it was whispering secrets to her. Nobody spoke. They knew well enough not to interrupt her while she worked. There weren’t many who understood the gifts of communing with the land like her people could but the Ingvarri quickly learned not to doubt her words. Estassia was very good at what she did. Anyone else, for example, would have missed the lone fragment of fluff from a feather but not her.

“Iyana’s falcon passed this way but where she went I do not know,” she added.

Yula pursed her lips. 

Without a lead to go on, it made things that much more difficult. The southern pass was large, large enough that searching the entirety of it could take a very long time and if their sisters were in trouble, time was not something they had. The further to the south and west they went, the more the land split. It rose in waves creating dangerous cliffs and craggy ravines all throughout the pass making travel with horses all but impossible. Besides, if it indeed turned into a rescue mission and stealth was necessary, they needed to remain on foot.

It was a good thing there were seven of them.

“We need to split up,” Yula announced. “Detalla, Saia, with me to the west. Talia with Cassa south. Estassia with Nahdi east." Then suddenly a shift came over her and her tone had just enough strength behind it to let them know that she was talking to them not only as a sister but as their commander. "Locate and report back. If Iyana's team has been captured, one observes and the other reports and _waits_ for backup. Understood?"

There was a resounding _Ya, Skaikandr_ among them and Yula nodded, satisfied. 

“Where’s the most land to cover?” Cassandra asked.

Yula tipped her chin beyond the trees just slightly left of their current position. “The hills to the southeast. There are sharp cliffs and too many ravines. If they ended up that far, it will take a while to find them.”

It was all Cassandra needed to know. With a hand signal, a small shadow suddenly appeared in the sky, circled once, then headed towards the hills.

“Not have a falcon but I hope an owl will do,” she said with a smirk.

“How can I forget about our eighth squad member?” Yula said slapping her on the back.

It was a daunting task, one that was accompanied by that quiet desperation that often came with a mission as time sensitive as this one. Upon feet used to the necessity of stealth, Cassandra and Talia moved quickly but silently as they explored the southern sector with eyes and ears alert for the smallest of sounds. 

There was a feeling in the air, a stillness that simply didn't belong in such a lush landscape yet it was if the mountains themselves were holding their breath, releasing not even a single whisper of breeze lest it rustle the leaves and break the hallowed quiet around them. That's why when Talia drew her sword it seemed so loud in their ears. She hadn't seen anything, hadn't heart anything. It was simply out of precaution that she had done so not wanting the hiss of steel to give away their position to anyone who may be lurking in the shadows. That... and wrapping her fingers around the hilt helped settle the agitation she felt at the disquiet surrounding them. 

Oh, how easy it would have been to tease her sister for being so easily spooked, Cassandra thought. Ingvarri were hard to scare and in that moment had she reached out and grabbed Talia's shoulder, she was pretty sure her sister would have jumped. Yet... Cassandra could see it in the way Talia moved, the way she stepped so carefully, moved silently, and kept ever watchful that this was simply more her being overcautious. Sisters were missing. Highly trained warriors with years of experience and for them never to have reported in meant... well, she didn't know what it meant but it couldn't be good. So Cassandra pushed all mischievous thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand.

But they would find them, they would return to Ingvarr, and with mugs of ale in hand Cassandra would _finally_ get to tease Talia for once as they relaxed by the fire back home.

_Home._

It was a feeling, one she knew all too well but it had always been fleeting at best... a memory of a time long past, of things held then lost by a debt she could never repay. "Home" was a word that meant one thing yet existed in so many different forms and never before had it lived as a singular place in Cassandra's mind. Those long months on the road she had carried it with her and wherever she had laid her head at night was where her home became and come the dawning of the sun she would leave it behind and search for another. 

But now... now the word alone conjured so many images it flooded Cassandra with warm feelings she knew didn't exist anywhere else. It was there, back in Ingvarr in a house built of timbers that smelled like maple that was filled with warm amber light and the occasional cool mountain breeze that reminded her of spring festivals. Cassandra could see it now even out here in the wilds. 

She saw Talia gesturing wildly in the air, her eyes bright and her smile as mischievous as always with Yula sitting beside her. Their elder sister shoved her playfully in the shoulder as Talia embellished her story a bit too much and they broke out into laughter. _Amma_ was near the fire trying to catch Bjorn who had grown just a bit taller and a lot more rambunctious and as he ran past Orli caught him and hoisted him up atop her shoulders that had grown just a bit stronger. And as Cassandra finished gazing around the interior of their humble home, she saw Rapunzel. Her hand reached up to tuck a loose lock behind her ear and her fingers would brush against the braids in her hair which was just a bit longer now. Cassandra watched as the scene played out before her as it looped, forever stuck in that wonderful moment in time of a reality that had yet to happen...

As if sensing her presence, Rapunzel turned to her and that smile upon her face grew larger and she held out a hand and waited for Cassandra to take it. 

And around her wrist catching the light of the fire was the moonlight silver oath ring Cassandra herself had so carefully crafted, each twist of the precious metal woven with promises.

It wasn't a memory.

Not yet. 

But someday it would be.

Had Cassandra believed in guiding spirits she could have sworn she felt Voranna the Swift running alongside her and Talia as they moved quickly and efficiently through the dense landscape... yet still they found nothing. It was frustrating to say the least and Cassandra began to wonder if perhaps her missing sisters weren't here at all and that maybe Yula or Nahdi had already found them. Maybe they were already safely at the rendezvous point and Estassia was already on her way to tell them.

As they moved through the trees and brush, a feeling of unease began to creep up Cassandra's spine and she placed a hand on her long knife at her hip. The sensation was comforting, the cold metal solid underneath her palm. It was something she could touch. Something she could rely on. Not like magic, she thought sourly. Such an untrustworthy thing. Unstable. Unpredictable. She could do without it, _had_ been making do without it. 

Rapunzel had never asked her why she didn't use her moonstone powers and Cassandra figured it was because she already knew the answer. Only one good thing had come of it and that was saving the princess's life. Everything else... everything else she wished she could forget. It was a darkness that would live in her always. A reminder of where she was from, what she was, what she had done... and Cassandra didn't need it. She had been surviving on her own just fine without it. 

On her own... with help from her family.

_Trust your skills and your knife,_

_And you sisters by your side._

Talia had taught her that one... had taught her many things, in fact. How to rest, how to take care of herself, how to slow down and enjoy the small things in life, how to laugh again...

How to be an Ingvarri.

How to be a friend.

How to be a sister.

With a slight turn of her head, Cassandra glanced at her Talia and a small smile played across her lips. Ingvarri warriors didn't need magic. They had each other.

They moved silently through the brush, the two of them like wolves on the hunt. They didn't talk, didn't need to. Yula had seen it and perhaps even had always known it was there. That bond. The easy friendship between two sisters that was so strong it was like they were of one mind. Cassandra grinned and wondered if Yula knew the first time she had met Talia she had threatened to smash the medic's face in with a metal box. What a way to start a friendship.

The air around them began to cool as they passed underneath a grove of trees and Cassandra arched her head back to look at the canopy through which scattered beams of sunlight tried in vain to reach the ground. It was darker than it normally should have been this time of day even underneath the shelter of leaves...

Suddenly she heard the rustle of wings. 

“Talia...”

“Iyana’s falcon,” her sister whispered spotting the bird sitting on a high branch. The noble animal had seen them approach and peered down at them curiously, watching, waiting. Talia gave the hand command her falconer would have used and the bird suddenly spread its mighty wings and flew off to the south. “Come on, Cassa!”

They moved quietly but quickly through the grove and soon the tree line opened up and they could see the edge of the first ravine as it dipped sharply into the valley far below. And there amongst the roots cast in shadows...

The falcon settled onto Iyana's bracer like it had done so many times in the past as if to say _I'm back and I brought help_ but as Talia rushed over to the woman and placed practiced fingers upon her neck, she immediately knew there was no help she could give the warrior. She was already dead. Her... and the rest of her sisters scattered across the ground around her. A terrible sadness filled her chest and with a heavy heart Talia pressed her lips together in a thin line as she closed Iyana's sightless eyes and silently prayed for the Seven Sisters to take her home.

“What... happened here?” Cassandra asked as she looked around. Great splashes of blood were flung in arcs around the grove covering the ground, the trees, and even dripped from the leaves above them. It was a scene of complete devastation. A massacre. But it wasn't until she looked closer that a chill ran up her spine to the base of her neck and screamed dangerous thoughts into her brain.

Some of their weapons were still sheathed. They had not even had time to draw them.

The fiercest warriors in the world... and they had died without a fight.

“A large blade,” Talia remarked, an unsettling calmness in her voice as she inspected Iyana's wounds. “One stroke. Jagged, ripping... a serrated edge maybe? No... these marks are too inconsistent. It is like the weapon... formed underneath the skin? Then... ripped the flesh...”

She stopped talking and looked away. There were times when she had looked Death in the face, seen it in the eyes of her sisters as she tried in vain to stop the bleeding but this... this was unlike anything she had ever encountered before. This wasn't the quick, clean kill of an assassin or a skilled swordsman. This was brutality personified. Messy, horrible... they had suffered, each and every one of them... the type of kill that was only done by monsters.

Talia didn't have to say it; Cassandra recognized the implication for what it was.

A straight edge blade was made to kill.

Serrated edges were meant to cause pain.

Extreme pain.

“We need to get word back to the others,” Talia said suddenly. “Our mission is complete. We found them. Now we need to...”

Suddenly Iyana's falcon took flight and disappeared through the canopy towards the sky and a hush came over the already quiet grove.

There was something about the way the air around them suddenly grew cold... a chilly whisper of a breeze that shouldn’t have existed in the warm early summer air. It wrapped around them like an icy breath against their skin and suddenly something whispered against Cassandra's cheek.

Her flesh prickled and the hairs on the back of her neck rose.

And Cassandra shoved Talia to the side.

Blackness had pierced the spot where the Ingvarri had stood. Not metal. No, metal caught the reflection of light. This was simply... darkness.

Cassandra stared at it and in the next moment it collapsed to the ground laying flat atop the grass like a harmless shadow and nothing more, that is, until it slithered away back into the shelter of shade underneath the trees. 

And that's when the rest of the shadows came alive.

They coalesced in the air like black smoke and became thicker, growing, pulsing like it was trying to give birth to... something. It spiraled upwards, impossibly tall, and from within...

Appeared a monster.

“ _Vdyr Syv Rhanvari_...” Talia swore.

A deep, droning exhalation of heavy breath filled the air and as it grew louder the more the darkness writhed and Cassandra couldn't help but listen to the its echoing song of violent discordance.

It had no face, at least none Cassandra could see as its head was thrown backwards as long black tendrils formed behind its skull. They waved in the air like they were underwater and when the creature swayed they followed belatedly in smooth movements that were simply unnatural. 

The head that had been pitched backwards snapped forward.

" _Hhhhhhaaaaaaa...”_

Then with a simple twitch...

It was gone.

Cassandra blinked...

And suddenly she was staring at the face of Death.

Icy fingers grabbed her by the throat and she felt her boots leave the ground. Air left her lungs in a rush as her jaw was forced upwards and suddenly she couldn't breathe. Her feet struggled vainly for purchase while her hands tried to grasp at arms that were simply not there, like she was being strangled by a phantom. The creature brought its face close as Cassandra gasped for breath and sniffed her, questioningly, searching... Those thin black lips curled backwards and...

A dagger flew through the air and pierced the arm that held Cassandra aloft but instead of embedding itself into the monster’s flesh, it passed through it like a ghost. The arm dissolved into wisps and the grip that held Cassandra suddenly vanished.

As she fell to the ground, she drew her long knife and rolled underneath the creature swiping at it’s midsection. But whereas she expected to see blood her steel simply parted the shadows and nothing more. But she had no time to be shocked. She pushed off her front foot and launched herself backwards desperate for some distance then stood next to Talia with both weapons raised.

The creature turned its masked face upon its severed limb and seemed to be pondering the absence of its hand. The stump that remained sprouted no blood. No, blood was for humans. For _mortals._

And this monster was neither of those.

Shadows wrapped around the appendage and, like spiders knitting together a very intricate web, threads of black shot back and forth taking the shape of a palm, knuckles, a thumb...

The creature splayed its new fingers wide, testing them, flexing each and every digit then... with a smooth eerie slowness it turned its sightless gaze upon Talia and Cassandra and waved its new hand at them tauntingly. 

And Cassandra knew things were about to get really bad.

" _Shesssshhhhhhtoalla."_

The word hissed through the grove like a blade slicing open the throat of the warm summer day as darkness began to gather. They poured forth from all around them... from the ground, underneath the trees... even Cassandra's own shadow betrayed her and ran to join a call it simply couldn't ignore. They fled into the waiting palm of the specter and writhed as if alive. Then, it began to take shape. A hilt, no... a shaft that grew longer and curved outward at a wicked angle, feeding off the darkness until it tapered off into a ghastly point...

The monster wrapped its fingers around the scythe made entirely of shadows and suddenly Cassandra and Talia knew how their sisters had died those horrible, horrible deaths. 

With a curl of those dark lips the creature smiled.

Then it attacked.

Darkness spun around it like a cloud of pure black smoke and it moved with an unnatural grace like one who was not bound by the laws of gravity. It reached again for Cassandra but as she brought her sword to block, the limb that tried to grasp her met her Ingvarri steel... and passed through it. Tensed as she was to push back against the blow, the lack of contact knocked her off balance and she pitched forward. Her knee bent and she turned the motion into a dive, angling to the side of the creature. But she was too close.

There was the slightest of whispers across her skin.

Then came the pain.

The force of the blow spun Cassandra sideways and her body hit the ground forcing a cry from her chest. Instinct told her to _move!_ and she pushed away and rolled backwards but then fell clumsily as she tried to regain her feet. Searing pain shot through her arm and created shockwaves underneath her skin that ran all the way to her fingertips. With eyes locked on the monster, she didn't dare spare a glance at her shoulder but she could feel the warm blood dripping down her bicep.

_What... What was that?!_

Then she saw it... saw the shadows retreat and within them the unmistakeable curve of the wicked scythe. But it hadn't just cut her, it _bit her_. 

This was no serrated edge. 

This was a weapon that _hungered_.

But there was no time to wonder. The monster's weapon turned in a wide arc spinning in a complete circle then turned its attention upon Talia. 

The Ingvarri dove just as the scythe swept over her head but before she could regain her footing, a wave of blackness struck her in the chest. The air left her lungs in a gasp and her body was knocked violently backwards as her sword broke in half beneath her. Her shoulder was the first to hit the hard packed dirt but there was no time to shout in pain as the rest of her followed and she tumbled uncontrollably. Instinct caused her to kick a foot out to try and stop her momentum but she had been flung too far too fast and as she tried desperately to skitter to a halt, her boot suddenly pushed out against nothing but open air.

And with a sharp inhale she never got to finish, Talia's eyes went wide as her body fell over the edge of the cliff.

_"TALIA!"_

Strong fingers and fast reflexes were the only thing that saved her from dropping into the ravine below but as soon as Talia arrested her fall, an agonizing cry escaped her throat as her full weight pulled upon her injured shoulder. Her arm began to shake as the effort slowly became too much and she gritted her teeth against the pain, the low growl in her chest rising into a yell. 

Cassandra was already running and in one fluid movement she sheathed her weapons then dropped her hip and slid forward kicking up a plume of dust. She held out a hand just as her leg reached the edge but before Talia could grab it Cassandra felt something cold wrap around her arm. 

Then it began to pull her backwards. 

_"No! Tali!"_

Cassandra whipped her arm wildly to the side to try to break free but the shadows held tightly. She screamed at her sister but a black tendril suddenly wrapped around her neck choking off the rest of her words. 

With teeth gritted agains the pain, Talia ignored the fire in her arm and with a yell her hand shot up and grabbed Cassandra's boot. Stone grated against her chest and tore at her tunic as she was pulled over the ledge and once she was back on solid ground she wasted no time. 

"Cassa!"

Talia lunged just as her sister drew her knife with her free hand and tossed it to her and with quick reflexes the Ingvarri's hands wrapped around the hilt and brought the blade down upon the shadows. They slithered away like a snapped rope and Cassandra coughed as air violently returned to her lungs. With a gasp she clutched frantically at her skin like the invisible threads were still around her throat. 

Talia slid her knife back into Cassandra's sheath then lifted her chin and ran expert fingers across her neck searching for damage.

"You're okay, Cassa. Come on, get up!"

"Tali--!" Cassandra gasped with all the breath she had.

Talia didn't see the wave that struck her from the side, the one that flung her through the air and into the grove. Her body spun and it was only when her back struck the trunk of a tree did she stop and a loud crack echoed through the air... a sound that echoed in Cassandra's chest. _It was the_ _tree_... Cassandra told herself, shaking her head. _Not Talia... It had to be the tree. Talia's fine..._

The more words Cassandra had to tell to herself the more violently she shook her head and with fire in her heart she gritted her teeth and drew her blades.

With a shout she charged just as the shadows whirled around her like a maelstrom and the two forces clashed like the most vicious of storms. The thick darkness licked at her flesh and every time they did Cassandra's blades sliced them away like decapitating a many headed serpent. Yet no matter how much she struck, no matter how fast the Ingvarri steel in her hands flashed, the shadows kept coming. 

A horrible fear filled her chest and Cassandra wanted to see why Talia had not yet risen. She would be okay, Cassandra told herself. She just needed to buy her sister some time to get up. 

_Come on, Talia. Get up!_

Each slash of her blades became a desperate song inside her heart, each one a different verse but with the same message.

_Talia, you're okay!_

_Tell me "It's just a scratch" and get UP!  
_

_Why aren't you getting UP??_

_TALIA!!!_

It was a fraction of a moment. Just as Cassandra turned her head towards the tree line something grabbed her left hand from behind and twisted her wrist wrenching her knife free from her grip. A shout escaped her throat and that same cold feeling wrapped around her other hand and suddenly both arms were thrown backwards twisting her shoulders at an impossible angle. The muscles in her neck tensed with fury and pain as the darkness dug into her flesh like fangs and refused to let go. 

Cassandra didn't have to open her eyes to know the monster was there. It was close, so close she could feel the chill of death coming off its flesh. Long fingers gripped her chin roughly and wrenched her head to the side like it was looking for something.

"No power..." the monster hissed, its breath brushing against her skin like icy spiders. "Where issssss it...?"

The muscles in Cassandra's shoulders bunched as she tried to pull her arms forward but she couldn't punch, couldn't kick, couldn't move, couldn't do anything but watch the face of Death come ever closer.

_"Show me..."_

The hand that gripped her jaw suddenly closed over her mouth and forced her head backwards exposing her neck.

Had she had breath to do so, Cassandra would have screamed but what escaped her instead was a muffled cry as those icy fingers brushed against her throat...

There was a yell, a _whoosh!_ of air, and suddenly Cassandra was on the ground. Her lungs burned and vision blurred but she didn't care. She knew that yell. 

She turned and saw Talia, blood dripping from her mouth and her chest heaving with heavy breath holding Iyana's spear in her hand. The Ingvarri exhaled hard, her teeth bared.

"Get up, Cassa," her sister said. "This fight is far from over."

Cassandra's fingers found her blades then with the coordination of an unspoken bond, they attacked.

Talia came in from the side and brought her spear around in a whirlwind of movement cutting the shadows to threads as Cassandra angled her blades up aiming for the monster's neck. She didn't even get close. The black mists around them folded over the demon like a cloak so when Cassandra's sword thrust out she met nothing but darkness. She turned and struck low but with a hiss her blades passed harmlessly through open air and nothing more. 

She let out a frustrated growl and changed her stance then pushed off the balls of her feet. The monster had turned towards Talia and she whipped the spear around in a complicated series of movements to keep the darkness at bay as it tried to surround her. Five mighty strides took Cassandra to the nearest tree in the grove and she planted her boot upon its trunk and pushed, her sword arm raised high. With a twist of her hips in midair, the blade came crashing down aimed right at the monster's throat...

And passed right through. 

Cassandra landed on the tip of her right foot and she pushed off it then tucked her head then rolled. She skittered to a stop, her heel kicking up a plume of dust behind her. Hopelessness began to seize her chest and with it the not so subtle edge of panic.

There was no rationale in the way the monster fought, no predictable patterns, no method to the movement. It was simply solid when it wanted, incorporeal when it didn't making it damed near impossible to hit. Even when they managed to pierce the dark veil, it would always knit itself back together.

This was bad. 

They couldn't fight it.

"Talia, get out of here!" Cassandra shouted moving to the right and thrusting her sword out the side. The black tendril that had tried to grab her struck the earth and she brought her sword down and severed it and she watched as the rest of it sunk into the earth like a long cast shadow then rush across the ground to rejoin its dark master. 

"I am _not_ letting you fight this thing alone!" her sister said. The spear came around and she flicked the weapon across and rotated her wrist and it sliced mercilessly at the shadows. 

"Tali, someone has to warn-- WATCH OUT!"

The Ingvarri raised her spear and cut through the scythe as it aimed at her head and it passed harmlessly through her, yet once it did it curled back around just as Talia turned her body to the side. 

And the shadows caught the flesh of her arm and _ripped._

The scream that escaped Talia’s throat was pure agony. The shadows had latched on to her skin like teeth then dug underneath it and then, once torn away, it pulled. It had been the lightest of touches, a bare whisper that had grazed her arm but the pain that followed set her entire arm on fire. 

That scream... the scream of her sister in pain... it was like having a spike drive into stone deep inside Cassandra and cracks began to form on the dam inside of her. The dam that held back the most dangerous of magic. She could feel it, the moment when her eyes flashed with power. How the electric blue light flickered within her irises like a flame. Without even calling it, it came to her, reacted to her, hungered the same as she did.

And it wanted out.

It was rare to have such a quiet, lazy afternoon to herself, a day when the squad wasn't out training in the fields or causing a commotion downstairs and to Rapunzel it was the perfect opportunity to relax and finally get some painting done. But the fact that the princess realized she needed to relax in the first place was, well... a bit unsettling. It was a worry that prickled at the back of her neck, a ghost of a feeling she knew shouldn't be there but was and try as she might she just couldn't push it from her thoughts. 

But she knew what it was.

She was worried about Cass.

Rapunzel knew her fears were unfounded. The squad had been given a simple mission, a mere search and rescue, but for some reason she just couldn't help the feeling. But why? There was nothing to worry about. As much as Rapunzel wanted to desperately be by her side, she knew there were six others who had Cassandra's back and she knew her Ingvarri warrior couldn't be in better company. Her sisters would keep her safe. They would bring her back.

More than that, she knew Cassandra could take care of herself, though even as she said it the princess couldn't help but think of all their close calls... Of all the times Cassandra would have taken that crossbow bolt through the chest or would have fallen to her doom had Rapunzel not been there to catch her.

How many more scars would Cassandra have upon her body if she hadn't been there to save her?

Not that Cass seemed to mind. Scars, she had said, were nothing more than marks of something that could have killed her but didn't. 

But which one... which cut of a blade would be the one that ended her life?

Something nudged her hand and Rapunzel saw Pascal pushing a tube of red paint towards her, the exact shade she had been looking for, the one that matched Talia's hair. 

"Thanks, Pascal," she said with a smile. A little distraction was exactly what she needed. By the time she finished the portrait, Cassandra and her sisters would be home and...

It began as a whisper of light but Rapunzel immediately knew it for what it was as surely as she knew the rhythm of her own heart. Her fingers reached up and touched the shard around her neck just as it began to grow brighter painting her skin in that familiar azure light. 

Her head turned towards the stairs yet... there was no creak upon the floorboards nor had she heard the door open. 

Cassandra wasn't here.

But...

A wave of cold fear spread from the center of Rapunzel's chest down her spine as she realized what was happening.

Cassandra was drawing upon its power.

But... why?

Cassandra _never_ called upon her moonstone magic. Unless...

Something was _wrong_. Horribly wrong. Rapunzel could feel it. The panic. The uncertainty.

Cassandra needed help.

And in a place where she never knew fear lived, the princess knew something terrible was happening.

Eos paused.

Never in his entire existence had something caused him to hesitate.

But this...

This was unexpected.

His weapon had been in mid swing but he stopped so suddenly the darkness swept forward with the force of a blow that was no longer behind it and they wavered. 

" _Shesssshhhhhhtoalla,"_ he called to them and the shadows retreated and wrapped around him like a cloak, their ghostly black fingers running over his bare chest. 

He turned empty eyes upon the mortal before him then twitched his head to the side as if listening to another sound further away.

_What...?_

This human... this human was a whisper within a scream. A pitiful flickering ember amidst a roaring inferno. A single drop in a tidal wave of power. 

And while she sparked like a flame trying to light, something _else_ called to Eos from another place. Stronger. More powerful.

Two siren calls, similar yet not exactly the same. There was something familiar about the way the other pulsed, something else behind it that smelled suspiciously like... flowers?

He had been so sure...

The threads did not lie yet there was something Eos was missing. Something it hadn't told him. He knew the moonstone child was close, had thought it was this human but...

Something was wrong... 

A blade flashed before his chest and with a casual wave of his hand he sacrificed shadows in his place and the mortal weapon passed harmlessly through. He didn't have time for this. He needed to consult the cosmic threads and figure out what was happening, where his real target was and what this... _duality_ meant. 

If he needed this mortal alive then it would not do to kill her now.

But the second human, on the other hand...

Cassandra struck, being careful to stay on the edges of the shadows reach... or so she thought. They suddenly came at her in a rush and immediately she was engulfed in a darkness that whipped around her like glass shards slicing at her arms, her neck, her face... then out of nowhere a black limb arched through the air and struck her square in the chest. 

Her weapons flew from her hand and her body hit the ground hard, bouncing twice on the hard packed earth. Every muscle ached, every inch of her skin burned with cuts touched by sweat, and every fiber of her being breathed exhaustion into her soul. But she was far from done. With a groan, Cassandra raised herself up on her forearm and spit bitter metallic blood from her mouth and curled her fingers in the dirt.

But whereas she expected a counterattack, nothing came.

And that's when she realized the monster wasn't coming for her. 

The warning that escaped Cassandra's chest was a raw scream born of fear and helplessness and she knew it would not reach her sister in time. With everything she had left she pushed off the dirt and slipped her feet beneath her body forcing her weary body up. Desperately she ran, shouting at her body to push _harder_ , move _faster_ but she knew... she knew it wouldn't be enough. She was too far away. 

There was a blur of motion, a parting of shadows and a slight change in air pressure followed by the sickening sound of a blade slicing open flesh. Cassandra heard a gasp, the breath of air leaving lungs and her eyes grew wide and her heart stopped.

And a single tear slid down Cassandra’s cheek before she even knew why.

She saw the scythe sweep across Talia’s chest.

She saw blood erupt from the wound and stain her already crimson tunic an even darker red.

She saw the fear and pain and shock in her sister's eyes.

Then she saw that malevolent shadow disappear in a mist of black like it had never existed.

And the grove was perfectly silent once again.

Cassandra heard herself inhale, heard the sharp, stuttered intake of breath that filled her chest and with that breath her mouth opened wide and she screamed Talia's name. For some reason she couldn't hear it with her own ears but she felt it escape her throat like it was ripped from her very soul. It made her body shake and her chest ache and with whatever remained escaped her throat as a sob. 

A whisper of a sigh escaped Talia’s lips and she began to collapse, her body falling so slowly. Cassandra caught her in her arms... arms that immediately quivered and grew weak underneath the weight of her sister who suddenly seemed so fragile and she lowered her body slowly the ground like she was made of glass.

Cassandra’s heart beat wildly as her eyes darted back and forth across the wound and she placed a shaking hand on it like she could stop all the blood from spilling out, not knowing what else to do.

“Tali... Tali no, come on, no no no...!” she said, lifting her sister's head, hot tears falling down her face. “Tali, _please_ , wake up. You need to wake up and tell me how to fix you! _TALIA!”_

Her mind told her the wound was too severe and there was simply too much blood but her heart screamed that she was wrong. There was a chance to save her... Talia just had to wake up and tell her how.

Cassandra screamed her name again and again until Talia finally opened her eyes and with the smallest of movements she turned to look at her friend, her sister, her family.

“Cassa... it is... just a scratch,” she whispered with a smile, a smile that was suddenly stolen away and replaced with an agonizing grimace of pain as tears began to gather beneath her lashes.

“Talia... no!” Cassandra sobbed, touching a shaking hand to her face. She wanted Talia to look at her, to know she was there. “Tell me how to fix you! _Please_! Don’t... don’t make me watch you die!”

Talia wrapped her fingers around Cassandra's hand and squeezed it as hard as she could. 

“Some things... we cannot fix,” she said, the light in her beautiful eyes growing just a bit dimmer. She smiled at Cassandra as she took a shuddered breath.“Be brave, Cassa.”

But Cassandra wasn’t. She was scared and she was sure Talia could feel it in the way she held on to her, so afraid of letting her go. But suddenly she realized as the tears gathered in the corners of her sister's eyes that it wasn't just her. The way Talia squeezed her hand and forced that smile upon her lips... she was scared too. 

She wanted Cassandra to be brave for her.

Suddenly the grip upon her hand lessened and Cassandra shook her head as tears began running down her face.

She knew the exact moment Talia no longer felt the pain. Her brows stopped creasing, her eyes stopped struggling, and slowly, very slowly, she began to relax as her muscles lost their strength and the tears Talia tried so hard to fight back finally fell.

“Tali, no no no...” Cassandra pleaded. “Don’t go... _TALIA! NOOOOO!”_

Cassandra squeezed her eyes shut and touched her forehead to her sister’s and held her as close as she possibly could. Her body shook so hard with sobs that she couldn’t breathe, her sorrow strangling her with words unsaid.

And somewhere within her broken heart echoed the voice she would never hear again.

_Oya, Cassa!_

_Still blocking blades with your face, I see!_

_How many foundlings will you have? Ten? Twenty? You must name at least three after me!_

Those beautiful eyes. 

That laugh.

That smile... 

Even with her eyes closed Cassandra saw that familiar mischievous grin... saw her sister look at her one last time and say...

_Stubborn rhanvar._

Cassandra gripped Talia’s tunic and screamed.

There was a rustle of wings and the sound of feet rushing over leaves and twigs and suddenly the rest of her sister's burst into the grove led by Iyana’s falcon. A strangled cry escaped Yula's chest as her eyes fell upon the body of her little sister and she collapsed to her knees. Estassia immediately knelt by her side and wrapped her arms around her while Nahdi put a hand to her mouth and turned away, tears streaming down her face. And Detalla and Saia... they bowed their heads and closed their eyes and whispered to the Seven Sisters to take Talia home.

Cassandra shook her head. No... they couldn't take her. Talia already had a home. It was here with her and Yula and Orli and Rapunzel and all the other Ingvarri who loved her and no, this wasn’t _real_... this couldn’t be happening because Cassandra _needed_ Talia to stay, she couldn’t leave her like this, she _wouldn’t_ leave her like this THERE HAD TO BE SOMETHING SHE COULD DO...

“Talia...” she pleaded, clutching the fabric of her tunic tightly staining her hands with blood. “Tell me how to fix you...” Cassandra whispered but in her heart she knew she wasn’t a healer. She was a destroyer. If only she had the power of the sun drop and not the moonstone...

_It is like if the moonstone were to use the sun drop incantation. It would cause certain... unforeseen results._

Cassandra gasped and her eyes opened wide.

The words of the Lorekeeper.

She knew it was meant as a warning but at that moment she didn’t need a warning, she needed a miracle. But his words... that meant she _could_ use it...

The sun drop incantation.

She just didn’t know what would happen if she did.

Cassandra looked down at Talia in her arms and brought a shaking hand to her sister's face yet she did not touch it. Instead, she pulled it away and placed it gently on the wound. Tears slid down her cheeks and with a sniffled inhale through her nose, she closed her eyes and very softly she began to sing:

_“Flower gleam and glow,_

_Let your power shine....”_

The hand on Talia’s chest started to glow. It began as a soft muted blue that felt like a whisper of moonlight upon her palm. Cold. Familiar. But that feeling suddenly changed as the pale blue took on a weak yellow hue resulting in a glow that looked acidic green.

It was... warped. It prickled her flesh like needles searching for something, that agreement, that acknowledgement of a deal and once Cassandra said _Do it_ , it bit greedily in to her skin. 

_“Make the clock reverse,_

_Bring back what once was mine...”_

Even with them closed, Cassandra could feel her eyes begin to flicker, the familiar tingle of power, the sensation of feeling more than physical touch would allow. She let it flow out of her and into Talia... and that’s when the glow changed to an angry red.

And Cassandra felt the pain.

 _“Heal what has... what has been... hurt,”_ she gasped as it became harder to breathe. Her chest began to ache and no matter how much she tried to inhale, she couldn't feel the air pass into her lungs. The energy she had let flow into her sister suddenly began to pull at her like stitches from her wrist, sucking the power from her body and drawing it into the wound. Threads of light traveled across Talia’s chest and the edges of the injury slowly began to fold in on itself, the skin knitting back together.

But as it did so something else happened.

Just as Talia’s wound began to heal, Cassandra felt something wet blossom on her own chest. It slide like a knife across her skin from the left side of her neck down to the middle of her chest and she gasped. Tears began streaming down her face whether from sorrow or pain she didn't know as her shirt began to stick to her skin as she felt her strength begin to leave her.

But it was working.

She couldn’t stop now.

_“Change the... change the... the fates... fa...”_

The air grew hazy and suddenly the world around her began to spin. Cassandra blinked away the sensation and tried to focus, tried to push the words of the spell from her mouth with every breath that was growing shorter with every passing second. Every syllable was halting, each effort greater than the last but she still tried.

_“The fates... desi... design...”_

Just a few more... a few more breaths for a few more words, that was all she wanted. More than anything in the world, just please... a few more...

_“Sa... save..."_

Desperately, and with every ounce of strength... she tried.

_"Save..."_

Oh, how the stars knows she tried.

_"Sa... Save... her."_

With nothing left to give, Cassandra's head rolled to the side and she collapsed on the ground next to Talia just as the rest of her sisters rushed around them, marveling at the identical half healed wounds on both their chests.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter needs an end note but honestly, I'm not sure what to say. There is a much longer note incoming somewhere down the line which will reiterate a lot of what I'm about to say, but I feel like I should explain something. 
> 
> I write from experience. It's all I know how to do. Ever since the original Shards fic, a lot of the stuff I put Cass through I myself have been through. I do sincerely appreciate the comments and high applause for my fight scenes and yes, that was me getting punched in the face that one time when I dropped my guard that's why I can write about it so well I suppose. Kicked in the chest? Oh, yes. Hurts like a bitch. I don't recommend it.
> 
> But something like this...
> 
> You're probably wondering why I'm a horrible person for giving Cass everything then ripping it all away.
> 
> Because I had everything ripped away.
> 
> And it started with the death of a sibling. 
> 
> There's something a bit cathartic about writing about it and yes, this chapter was not without its tears for me.
> 
> So if you think me a monster for writing a chapter like this, so be it. All I ask is that you don’t leave a comment tearing apart an already broken heart.
> 
> -ColossusRhodes


	13. The Mark of Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The squad returns to Ingvarr and deal with the aftermath of the attack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waiting - "Montage" by Fernando Velazquez  
> I’m Not Going Back Without You - “Past Lives” by Gareth Coker  
> Awaken - “When the Party’s Over” by Billie Eilish  
> The Squad Together Again - "Someone Loves Us" by Dario Marianelli  
> I'm Coming Back - “Coming Home - Part II / Bonus Track” by Skylar Grey

Nothing.

Her body remained motionless, her eyes steady upon the horizon as she looked for any sign, any subtle motion, any glint of steel upon sunlight, any hint of approaching silhouettes, anything at all...

Still nothing.

As Rapunzel gazed off into the distance she didn't know what she expected to see. There was nothing beyond the gates except grassy plains that swayed carelessly in the breeze but she could almost feel a gathering of black clouds. It prickled her flesh... the sense of foreboding so real she almost thought she could see an ill omen written in the sky that threatened to cover everything in shadows yet...

There was nothing there.

A trick of her mind.

Nothing more.

But something was wrong.

Rapunzel could feel it as surely as she had seen the moonstone shard flicker then suddenly fade. There had been a second flash, one that had lasted several moments but... The beautiful blue glow that was normally as pure as a clear midday sky had turned green... but not the wonderful green of verdant fields or the bright lime of her favorite paints. No, this had been a sickly green that grew into a deep, angry crimson. Its light had colored her skin such an unnatural hue it had scared Rapunzel to see her hand bathed in red so thick it looked like blood.

But the shard was cold now, its glow gone, and with a gentle hand Rapunzel curled her fingers tenderly around the celestial stone.

_Cassandra..._

She lifted her head towards the gates once gain...

Still nothing.

And she was done with waiting.

With a sharp, resolute inhale, Rapunzel pressed her lips firmly together and quickly turned...

And bumped straight into Eugene.

“Hey, whoa, where’re you going in such a hurry?” he asked steadying her. 

“I’m going to the stables to get Max,” she replied.

It was clearly not the response Eugene had expected. “What? Why?”

“Something’s wrong. Cassandra’s in trouble. I need to find her.”

She stepped to the side but Eugene quickly moved in front to block her path and held up calming hands.

“Whoa whoa whoa, slow down. Cass is a big girl, and I mean that literally. She can take care of herself. Plus she’s surrounded by six even bigger girls,” he reasoned. “Besides, what makes you think she’s in trouble?”

“The shard...” Rapunzel began but stopped. How could she make him understand? Ever since that moment in the ruins a bond had been forged. The shard... it was Cassandra in a way she just couldn’t explain. It was a window into her soul. It reacted to her feelings. It was that constant presence that always reassured Rapunzel even when she wasn’t beside her. It was the light behind her eyes, that spark of something more and every time Rapunzel saw it she felt like she was looking into the depths of the stars themselves.

And she knew in her heart Cassandra needed her help.

The air around them suddenly began to vibrate with a melancholy tone, low, deep, commanding... it sung throughout the city and cascaded around the fjords. The sound of the warning bells echoed down the streets and through Rapunzel's chest, its morose song matching the beat of her heart so perfectly it made it seem like she could feel her panic in the air around her. 

Hurried feet, shouts, no... they were orders, words in Ingvarri Rapunzel didn’t understand but she could tell by the tone that they were cries for help. A cadre of armed guards rushed past them and moved quickly down the road as the ones stationed at the wall sprinted out into the field. 

A single step forward... then another, and another and suddenly Rapunzel was running down the street. Eugene called after her but she didn't stop. She couldn't. She had to see, had to know...

A crowd had already gathered and she peered over them and saw Yula running full speed towards the gates. She almost didn’t make it. Her legs shook from exhaustion and she almost collapsed before she reached them but she pushed just a bit further and fell to her knees the moment she was inside. Her arms, her chest... she was covered in blood. But it wasn’t hers, Rapunzel realized.

It was Talia’s.

Tears blurred the edges of her vision as Rapunzel watched Yula place her sister’s body on the ground and call for a medic. Gasping for air and exhausted, the older Ingvarri bent over Talia and gripped her hand tightly, her head lowered and Rapunzel could tell from the way her shoulders shook she was holding back sobs.

Another shout from beyond the gates and this time it was Detalla. Everyone made room for the large warrior as the guards cleared some space and began to control the crowd as she placed the body in her arms upon the ground and the breath Rapunzel had been about to draw in suddenly caught in her chest. The gasp stuttered in time with her broken heart and suddenly she felt like she couldn't breathe.

Never in her life had she tried harder to lie to herself than in that moment.

Desperately Rapunzel told her eyes that it couldn’t be her. That the dark hair and those scars belonged to someone else. Not her. Please not her...

She pushed her way through the crowd and shook her head, tears already falling down her cheeks as she quietly whispered, “No.... no no no...” Both hands came to her mouth and she shook her head more and more, not wanting to believe what lay before her. 

Blood... there was so much blood. It was a ghastly wound, one that ran from the left side of Cassandra's collarbone down to the middle of her chest like some giant claw had tried to slice her in two but gave up halfway through. But this wasn't the clean cut of a blade. The flesh was ripped apart in the most violent of ways but Rapunzel only cast a fleeting glance at the injury. Her gaze immediately went to Cassandra's face, at the sweat stained curls that stuck to her forehead and the eyes that no longer glowed.

There was no spark.

No light.

No breath.

The shouts around Rapunzel became muffled and all she could do was stare as someone turned Cassandra's head and put fingers to her neck to check for a pulse. The hand suddenly turned into frantic gestures as the medic turned and shouted something over her shoulder and the entire moment crystallized before Rapunzel like she was watching a tragedy unfold through a frosted window. 

More words.

More movement.

Space was cleared away as stretchers were brought in and it wasn't until Rapunzel saw Cassandra and Talia laying side by side that she realized how similar their wounds were. No... not similar.

They were completely identical.

How... how was such a thing possible? 

Rapunzel didn't know... until she heard the murmurs around her. 

“... was a killing blow,” Detalla was saying. “But I saw her... Talia is alive because of her. It was magic...”

And suddenly Rapunzel knew how.

_Cass, you didn’t..._

But she knew in her heart she had. And just like when she had said the moonstone incantation all those years ago, the healing spell Cassandra was never meant to say did indeed had unforeseen results.

*****

There was no air.

Lungs tried desperately to draw breath but none came. 

There was no light.

She blinked, could feel her lids open and close but there was no difference between the darkness behind her eyes and that which floated before her now.

There was no sound. 

Though she gasped, the whispers of her breath never reached her ears though she could feel the air leave her. What remained she tried so hard to hold on to but between the silence and darkness she was consumed. Drowning.

There was no hope.

It was useless. Her struggles were that of one thrown into the middle of the ocean with neither ship nor land upon the horizon. 

Cruel, it seemed, to keep going.

Easier, it would be, to let it end.

But Cassandra never did things the easy way.

Ingvarri were used to difficult.

They _thrived_ on difficult.

Silent screams tore from her throat as she floated in the empty void and she reached out a hand for something, anything to hold on to...

Just beyond her fingers something shimmered in the darkness like light flashing along the edge of a blade. There one moment, gone the next. But there had been _something_ there. 

Cassandra stretched her arm as far as it would go towards where she had seen that glint, that trick of her imagination, her fingers splayed wide trying so hard to touch... anything. Then... the subtlest of sensations...

She clenched her hand into a fist and suddenly within her grasp appeared a glowing thread of blue. Thin as a strand of hair, it resonated with her upon a chord she could hear, she could feel, she could see... She felt it in her chest, that deep thrumming and she realized it was her own heartbeat. 

Though she floated, Cassandra suddenly felt the weight of something pulling her down, wrapping itself around her arms, her chest, her neck...

A string of gold.

It wrapped around the blue thread, its amber light changing to orange then red and Cassandra realized this was what was strangling her. 

Somewhere deep down she knew it was her fault. Something as good and pure as this heavenly aura would never harm her but she had made a deal, crossed a line, and said words she was never meant to say. But she had to. For...

_Talia._

The name called so loudly in Cassandra's ears like it was the first sound she ever heard, a beautiful name with an even more beautiful face behind it...

Then she saw her.

Talia looked like she was sleeping underwater, her fiery hair falling around her face with arms and legs floating above her like she was being pulled backwards by an unseen force.

_Talia!_

She began to slip away, her hand hanging in the empty air so close... so close yet still so far away...

_Talia! Wake up!_

Slowly, she began to sink deeper into the void.

_TALIA!_

Cassandra thrashed against the ties that bound her, imprisoning her, holding her with unearthly chains as she tried to reach for her sister but as she did so the single blue lifeline begin to slip from her fingers.

_No... Tali..._

She was so close....

With gritted teeth Cassandra tried to stretch her arm yet as she did so the thread in her hand slipped just a bit further and that's when she knew she had a decision to make.

She could either hold on to it... or she could let go and grab Talia.

_Tali..._

That home... that vision of home that warmed the darkest part of her heart was so vivid, so clear Cassandra saw it even amidst the black veil that surrounded her but it wasn't complete without Talia. No home could exist without her in it.

_I'm not going back without you._

With a whisper Cassandra stopped struggling and slowly unwrapped her fingers from around the thread of blue and she reached for Talia's hand...

And Cassandra began to fade away. It was an abstract thought that told her she should be experiencing pain yet Cassandra felt nothing as she saw her arm turn into an apparition of her former self. She could see the darkness inside it, behind it, but still those fingers reached out and she opened her mouth and screamed for her sister with breath she didn't have and tears that shouldn't exist in a place like this. They fell from her face and floated in the air like raindrops suspended in time just as a soft beautiful melody began to fill the air and with one last great effort Cassandra reached...

And just as she grabbed Talia's hand, that luminous line of blue she had tried to leave behind suddenly wrapped around Cassandra's wrist...

And the dark veil turned into blinding golden light. 

It was easy to drown in sorrow, to let the waves of sadness and helplessness wash over her as it covered her mouth, her nose, her face until all that remained was a sight blurred by tears and a refraction of light that grew distant the more she sank into the depths of despair. But Rapunzel clung to hope. She knew nothing else for hope was all she had, who she was, that ray of sunshine in an otherwise cold, dark world. It would not claim her, not this time... but as she gazed upon Cassandra lying unconscious for the second time the princess couldn't help but feel that hope begin to crack. It was small... a hairline fracture and nothing more, yet to her it was the biggest chasm in the world. 

After all they had been through together, for her and Cassandra to find themselves back here again was a soft sweet sorrow that called to her with the name of Inevitability. 

It forced her to ask herself: would this be the time when Cassandra never woke?

And if not now, then when?

Rapunzel stroked Cassandra’s cheek with her thumb and silently bade her to open her eyes. She would have sung to her, would have whispered reminders of the promises they had made and the adventures they’d yet to have had they been alone in the room but... she glanced at the bedside next to her where Orli was holding Talia’s hand whispering to Seiga to grant her injured sister the strength to recover.

By some grace of the heavens, they were both still alive though the medics couldn't explain why. It had been a jagged weapon that tore through the skin and the amount of blood alone promised what should have been a relatively quick death but when the two warriors were brought in, the wounds on each looked like they had already been weeks old. It was unlike anything they had ever seen before. It was a miracle, they said.

As Rapunzel brushed the hair from Cassandra’s eyes, she couldn’t help but smile. A miracle, yes. She certainly was.

The stories had already begun to circulate, how one brave Ingvarri had saved her sister from Death by claiming her wound as her own. Impossible, it seemed, that such a deed that so purely personified the spirit of Ingvarr should exist in the actions of one warrior yet it did. It was the type of tale one only heard told to children around a campfire or just before bedtime. 

The story of a hero.

Though through the retelling and rumors that were quickly making their way through the city, one thing that was barely mentioned was how it had happened. Some had known that Cassandra possessed magic... or had, rather. Ingvarr was an ally of Corona, after all. They had heard about her moonstone moments just like the other kingdoms.  But when the whispers started to spread, they weren't the angry hushed words of past evils wrought from the destructive power of the moon. No... they were whispers of reverence, of seeing one sister sacrifice herself for another and that... that was worth more than anything to the Ingvarri.

_By deeds and not by blood..._

Why couldn’t her father see that?

Footsteps padded softly on the ground behind her, light, careful. The steps of a thief whose boots never quite broke away from old habits.

"Why don't you go get some rest?" Eugene said softly, his voice loud in such a quiet space. "I can stay with her."

But Rapunzel shook her head. "I can't leave her. Not until she wakes up."

Eugene knew she wouldn't. He had been there when they brought Cass through the gates. Amidst the screams for help and the running of feet, he watched as Rapunzel slowly fell apart before his very eyes as they checked Cassandra for breath, a pulse... anything. But the moment they carried her away is when Eugene saw a heart break... and his broke with it. Rapunzel never said a word. She didn't have to. He could see it written upon her face clear as daylight. So when she fell into his arms and cried into his chest he couldn't help but wrap his arms around her and tell her that Cass would be alright and hope he hadn't just told her a lie. 

It was a difficult thing for anyone to see, someone they know lying cold upon the ground with barely a breath left in their body. He had thought it was a mission gone wrong, an ambush of some kind... but it wasn't until he heard the stories begin to spread that he realized what Cassandra had done... the sacrifice she made so her sister could live. 

It was an act of selflessness that only one other person he knew was capable of... and it was only fitting that she was the one who refused to leave Cassandra's side now. 

"Is there anything you need?" Eugene asked placing a hand on her shoulder and Rapunzel wrapped her fingers around them.

"Can you bring some food for Orli? She hasn't left since she got here. She must be starving."

How like her, Eugene thought, to be thinking of other people at a time like this. 

"Sure thing, Sunshine," he smiled. 

The hand upon her shoulder slipped away and Rapunzel reluctantly let it go, her eyes never leaving her sleeping Ingvarri warrior. She put a hand on Cassandra's face and lightly brushed the scar upon her cheek then the princess softly began to hum. It was a melody she knew Cassandra would recognize, the song she had sung to her the last time she lay unconscious like this. Maybe it was the sorrow... the desperate need to do something, anything in that moment other than watch her slip away that made Rapunzel do it but whatever the reason she had to believe that wherever Cassandra was, she would hear her and it would guide her back to the light. 

The last note lingered still in the air and lay like a mournful kiss upon Cassandra's skin and as it faded into the realm wherever melodies go after they're sung, Rapunzel closed her eyes and let the tears fall. 

Suddenly Cassandra and Talia gasped violently at the same time and they woke, their chests heaving for breath like some godly hand had placed a finger upon their brows and bade their souls to wake.

It was so abrupt that Rapunzel was startled when Cassandra suddenly squeezed her hand back like she had been drowning and found the only thing worth holding on to.

“Cass!”

Her gaze was far away, confused. Her eyes began to roam aimlessly until Rapunzel gently turned Cassandra's head so that she was looking right at her and finally she saw those familiar hazel eyes focus on her.

_There she is._

Rapunzel smiled and Cassandra's breathing slowed as she began to relax.

“ _Oya! Tali!”_

Orli wrapped her arms around her sister making sure to be extra careful to avoid her wound.

“ _Rhanvarla._ What...”

Talia’s memories were clouded in shadows and mist but the pain... she remembered the pain. The ripping, the tearing that set her nerve endings on fire from the base of her neck to her spine and down her legs... and the numbness that followed.

Then the nothingness...

She touched a hand to her chest where the bandages lay and to her surprise they were not stained with blood like they should have been with a wound so deep. With careful and practiced hands, she removed the top half of the wrappings and looked at her skin.

It was almost completely healed.

“Cassa... what did you do?” she asked in awe.

But instead of answering, Cassandra simply looked to the ceiling and closed her eyes.

“Detta said it was magic,” Orli replied quietly. “ _Rhanvarsa_ Cassa took your wound from you.”

Talia's touch lingered upon the jagged edges of the scar as she traced the lines of Death's hand upon her chest for that's exactly what it was. The mark of Death. And no one, no matter how skilled, how brave, how fearless, ever came back from the dark void.

Unless, of course, someone was too stubborn to let her die.

She turned her head to look at Cassandra.

“Cassa... I can’t believe that you just couldn’t bear the thought... that I would have a more impressive scar than you.”

A laugh escaped Cassandra’s chest and even though her eyes were closed, Talia could see the tears forming beneath her lashes. The Ingvarri reached out and touched her hand and without looking Cassandra grasped it back.

“Stubborn _rhanvar,”_ Talia said as a tear ran down her cheek.

*****

The fear... it lingered like black fingers around her heart and refused to let go. It was the most valuable of prizes, one that had been hidden and protected for so long behind layers of armor and indifference but now... defenses were laid bare, razed to the ground under the gentlest of touches. How easy it was for fear to seep in past all that warmth and love and replace it with something much darker. 

Even after she woke, Cassandra could still feel it in her chest. The panic. The anxiety. Her heart beat so rapidly without respite from the worry it felt like she would never be calm again and it had forced desperate tears from her eyes. Even though the danger was over the adrenaline would not leave and slowly, very slowly her body sank into a fathomless exhaustion telling Cassandra that it could only take so much. 

She turned her head and looked at Talia again and saw her resting peacefully in the bed beside hers, her breathing steady. It should have been a comfort but even though Cassandra knew she was sleeping, some desperate part of her heart cried out for her sister to open her eyes. How cruel those whispers of fear were, yet they reminded her just how close she had been to losing Talia forever.

One swipe of a sword, one stab of a knife, one twist of a wrist was all it took, really.

To take someone's life. 

It was so easy. 

Cassandra's heart grew heavy and a deep sigh escaped her chest. She felt a hand squeeze hers reassuringly and she opened tired eyes she hadn't realized had closed. Rapunzel hadn’t left her side since she woke, those fingers that brushed the hair from her face and caressed the callouses of her palm the only thing keeping the fear from consuming Cassandra's soul. She smiled up at the princess even as she felt the weight of events press down upon her eyelids and amber hued serotonin whispered words of sleep in her ear.

“You should get some rest,” Rapunzel said.

“You should too,” Cassandra replied.

“Oh, I’m not leaving,” the princess said with a grin. “Who else is going to stop you and Talia from bickering about who has the biggest scar?”

Cassandra used what strength she had left to smile. 

Rapunzel glanced behind her and Cassandra saw Eugene approach. She had noticed him and Lance hovering near the door the entire time and she wondered who he was there for; her or Rapunzel. Had he thought she was going to die? Was he there to pay his last respects or was it simply a matter of wanting to be there for Rapunzel if Cassandra never woke again?

She didn’t know. Didn’t care. She was too damn tired.

“Hey,” he said rubbing the back of his neck. “I, uh... heard what you did out there.”

There was an awkward pause then he turned slightly and glanced over at Talia and Orli, the young girl hunched over resting her tired head upon folded arms as she watched her big sister sleep. 

“I just wanted to let you know that risking your life like that, not knowing what would happen if you used the sun drop incantation but _still_ trying to save her... you’re a... you’re a good friend, Cass.”

Something hung in the air between them. It was fleck of ash from a fire long gone that settle onto her boot as Cassandra stood on the edge of an old damaged bridge that creaked under her weight. The rest of the boards were lost to the trials of time and what remained was marred with scorch marks that were cold to the touch. But there, on the other end, she could see Eugene as he lay down the first piece of fresh wood and secure it in place, one of hopefully many that would follow to rebuild the bridge of the friendship they once had.

“Thanks, Eugene,” Cassandra said softly. 

It was almost like old times again.

Almost.

Maybe they would get there again someday.

*****

The blissful zen of unconsciousness lifted the veil from her mind and Cassandra woke to silence. There were sounds, of course, muted as they were by senses not yet fully awakened. The gently whispers of breath, hushed tones off to her right, a chuckle that was both familiar and mischievous...

Something lightly brushed against her skin and Cassandra opened her eyes. Folded over the edge of the bed was Rapunzel, a blanket draped around her shoulders and her thumb moving back and forth in soothing movements across the back of Cassandra's hand. She knew the princess wasn't asleep just as sure as she knew her patterns of breath, the same patterns she had felt upon her shoulder in those early morning hours. 

Cassandra's fingers tightened around Rapunzel's and without even looking the princess squeezed back and a moment later she lifted her head, the smile upon her face almost offsetting the worry in her eyes. 

"Cass... How are you feeling?" 

"I'm fine," Cassandra replied softly. 

But there was more behind Rapunzel's question than what she asked. That worry in her eyes... Cassandra realized she knew what she had done, the words she sang to bring Talia back. It was a look that knew all too well the cost of using magic that was never meant for her. 

It could be quick or it could take years, she knew, for the repercussions to hit her like they had Rapunzel... if there were any. Though the violent result of using the healing incantation with her moonstone powers seemed like more than enough to pay the debt, Cassandra knew it wasn't up to her. After all, what was flesh and blood to magic when there was so much more to be sacrificed? 

It was that particular thought Cassandra saw reflected in Rapunzel's gaze as the princess looked her over like she was searching for that black mark upon her, that slight indication that something was wrong. She placed a hand upon Cassandra's face and searched for the truth in her eyes. 

"Cass..."

"I'm okay, Raps," Cassandra whispered placing a hand over hers. Words unspoken passed between them, of promises they had and promises yet to be made and Cassandra couldn't help but think of that image of home, the one where Rapunzel reached out to her with the moonlit silver oath ring around her wrist...

"Are they going to kiss?" a voice whispered.

" _Oya,_ if they are, avert your gaze, _rhanvarla_. Such things are not for young eyes."

Her daydream shattered with startling speed and Cassandra turned and saw Orli leaning upon the edge of Talia's bed propped up on her elbow with her head resting in her hands watching them while Talia sat comfortably with a very amused expression upon her face. Upon seeing Cassandra's stare, Talia slowly took one of her pillows and held it before Orli's eyes. 

"Look away, _rhanvarla..."_ With her little sister hidden from sight, Talia waved a casual hand at Cassandra and Rapunzel and said quietly, "She is gone now. Go ahead."

Then they heard the sounds of chaos. 

"Detta, stop _hovering_!"

"I cannot help it if you are so tiny, _rhanvar."_

"Both of you, _shash!_ We are supposed to be quiet!"

And Cassandra could tell that this particular chaos was hers. 

They stood in the doorway, a veritable cacophony of not so hushed tones and smart remarks along with a clattering of steel as the warriors bumped into each other vying to get a better look inside.

Rapunzel patted Cassandra's hand. "I think you have some visitors. I'll be right outside."

With some hushed words and a wave of her hand Talia sent Orli with her and once her and the princess left the room the rest of the squad rushed inside and surrounded their two sisters.

"They made us wait until you woke up," Saia said with feigned agitation. 

"Not like you to sleep so late, Cassa," Nahdi teased. "You missed the morning run _hours ago!"_

" _Oya,_ she was too busy snoring," Talia replied. 

"I don't _snore!"_ Cassandra replied quickly. 

" _Aish_ , they must both be feeling better if they are bickering already," Yula chuckled.

"I have already heard from the medic that you are much too charming, Tali," Estassia said.

"What? She asked me about the scar and I said ' _Oya_ , it is from the scythe of a shadow demon' and she said ' _Ai,_ Tali you are so brave and amazing and incredibly cute'..."

Nahdi gave her sister a gentle shove and they broke out into laughter. Yet amidst the jokes and lighthearted taunts there lingered a heaviness in the air, the one thing that hung over them that they all tried so hard to avoid. It echoed within their hearts and as soon as the playful words died down, the silence and the emotions became too much. 

Yula sat down at the edge of Talia's bed and wrapped her arms around her sister. 

" _Oya,_ Yula..." the younger Ingvarri whispered in a broken voice as she buried her face in the tall warrior's shoulder. The rest of the squad stood in respectful silence. It was a moment not many got to have, to see a sister return from Death's embrace. They had all known it the moment they stood upon the battlefield and heard Cassandra's cries. Talia had been taken from them. Cruelly. Violently. Not a single breath left in her body. Never in their all the prayers to the Seven Sisters could they have imagined she would come back to them.

It was simply a miracle.

Whispered words passed between the two sisters and after a moment Talia nodded. Slowly Yula brought their foreheads together.

" _Ya?"_

 _"Ya,_ " Talia replied.

"Good," Yula said patting the side of her face. 

There was the familiar hiss of steel sliding against steel and Cassandra turned. Saia had approached her bedside with silent footsteps and in her hands were her sword and long knife. 

"We recovered your weapons," she said and placed them next to her sheathes resting beside her bed. 

"Unfortunately, Tali..."

Nahdi placed the shattered blade and hilt on the table. It had fractured near the middle, the cracks cascading down towards the grip in a way that would be impossible to repair and Talia heaved a weary sigh. It hadn't been her favorite weapon but it had seen more than its fair share of fights and had defended more than a hundred sisters. 

"Your sword broke in battle, _rhanvar_ ," Yula said standing up. "We must get you a new one."

"Get her a stronger one," Detalla added. "Ingvarri steel only breaks when the warrior does and this one," she said placing a strong hand upon Talia's shoulder, "did not break."

 _"Oya,_ I _wish_ I could take all the credit but..." Talia said then looked over at Cassandra. 

And they all turned. 

It was a reverent silence, calm, comfortable, and in that moment Cassandra realized they all knew. 

She felt like perhaps she should explain but when she looked upon the faces of her sisters it became clear they were waiting on no such justification. Her powers... they didn't matter to them. What she had done for Talia, however...

They were a family and deeds meant more than what was in her blood.

"You did not know what was going to happen, did you?" Yula asked. Cassandra looked up at her older sister and she was taken back to that moment in Valengarr... She had known all along, of course. Even before Talia and Nahdi learned of her past from Inga, Yula had known yet that never stopped her from training Cassandra or treating her different than any other initiate. It had been that warm smile and that hand upon her shoulder that made Cassandra realize she was hiding a part of herself from people who accepted her no matter what she did or who she was. 

Cassandra shook her head and she could tell by the expression on her face her older sister suspected as much. 

"Never since the sacrifice made by the Seven Sisters has Ingvarr witnessed such a selfless act," Yula said. "The High Mother is impressed."

"You... spoke with her?" Cassandra asked. 

Yula nodded and her expression changed. "I met with her and the Leading Generals this morning to debrief about the attack."

She turned and suddenly she was addressing not just Cassandra but all of them. "A war council was called. The High Mother is sending an entire platoon to hunt down this monster."

It was... unexpected news yet nobody said a word. They all knew how real the threat was and saw firsthand the kind of damage it could do. It was a serious declaration for a very serious matter. 

Yula once again faced Cassandra and Talia and said in an almost sorrowful voice, "Since you are the only two who has fought the creature, the High Mother wants at least one of you come with."

“I’ll go,” Cassandra said before Talia could even open her mouth.

“ _Oya,_ how did I know you would say that?” she said and put a hand to her face then turned to Yula. “We are both well enough to go, _S_ _kaikandr._ ”

“Tali, it is okay,” Estassia said and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Even though your wound has healed, you still lost a lot of blood.”

“I am _not_ staying back while you go fight that thing--” Talia began but when Yula placed a hand on her arm and looked into her eyes she stopped.

“Rest now, fight later, _rhanvarla,”_ the her older sister said softly.

Nahdi slowly stepped forward followed by Saia then Detalla and they each put a hand on her shoulder and she knew what they were doing. It was the gesture for the injured, the fallen, of those who had to stay behind... the touch that said her sisters would carry her spirit with them into battle. Talia had to look away for a moment but they had already seen the tears gathering in her eyes.

One final touch fell upon her shoulder and she placed her hand over Cassandra’s fingers in silent thanks.

“Anja protect you, _rhanvari,”_ Talia whispered.

*****

It hurt. Yet again, they all did. No matter how much time passed, the pain never really went away whether upon the skin or in the mind but Cassandra was used to bearing the weight of her scars... all of them. But this one... this one was special. Her fingers lingered upon the left side of her collarbone where it began and she traced its edges. Never in her life had she been more proud of a scar than this one. 

It was easier, she knew, to bear the marks upon her skin than to carry them inside her heart.

She let her hand fall away and pulled her jacket over her shoulders eliciting only the slightest of winces as the new skin pulled along her chest. 

"Stubborn _rhanvar_."

Cassandra smiled and with her back still turned said, "What was that, Tali?"

"You heard me."

"Hm?"

There was an exasperated sigh and with carefully emphasized precision, Talia said, "Stubborn. _Rhanvar."_

Cassandra closed her eyes and chuckled. Those words... she thought she'd never hear them again. She savored the sound, the particular annoyed inflection on " _rhanvar"_ , and the incredulous look that came with it when she turned around.

"You look like garbage," Talia said.

"Well you look like worse garbage," Cassandra replied. 

Her sister huffed, mocking her attempt at a clever comeback yet there was no insult or smart reply. The signs were obvious even Cassandra could see them; the pale skin, the lingering weakness in the limbs, the exhaustion. Though the wound had healed, Talia's body had suffered a great trauma and it showed. The medics were watching her carefully of course and despite earlier protests Talia had remained in her hospital bed with the agitation of one who knew she needed to rest yet wanted nothing more than to go home.

Which is why it irritated her that Cassandra was preparing to leave. 

"You should be resting here with me," Talia said.

That much was true and for once Cassandra couldn't help but agree with her. Her body still ached and a persistent fatigue had settled over her limbs making them feel slow and heavy but she was not going to admit it. 

"I don't have time, Tali. The High Mother ordered--"

"I know what the orders are," Talia interrupted quickly and perhaps a bit too sharply than she intended. She took a deep breath then let it out in a sigh. "Sit down, Cassa."

Cassandra spared a glance at her sister and cast her a haughty look. "For once, you're not the medic here, Talia. They said I can go."

"They only said you can go because the High Mother ordered you to go. You are not completely healed. Sit _down_ , Cassa."

Cassandra pulled down the collar of her shirt near her neck and showed Talia the top of the scar. "There's no blood, Tali. I'm fine."

Talia pursed her lips together then nodded her chin towards Cassandra's side. "Then why is your hand shaking?"

Her hand was not sha... Cassandra looked down and was startled to find that her sister's words were true and that the fingers of her right hand twitched ever so slightly. She quickly clenched it into a fist.

"It's been twenty-four hours since we both had something to eat," Cassandra said. "Besides, it's not like I was able to get a good night's sleep with you mumbling over there."

"I was mumbling at you to stop snoring," Talia replied, but she knew Cassandra, knew what she was doing... or trying to do, anyway. "Let me see it."

"There's nothing wrong with me--"

" _Hasht, Cassa,"_ Talia said sharply. "Let me see it."

It was a not so subtle challenge and with an annoyed grunt Cassandra held out her hand knowing her sister would not find anything. 

Without her glove on, her oldest scar was laid bare yet Talia had seen the blackened and withered flesh before and it didn't bother Cassandra to show it to her now. It was just another reminder of what could have killed her but didn't. Expert fingers inspected the wrist, the palm, each and every digit tracing the lines of her skin for... well, Cassandra didn't know what. Responses to stimuli were slow but they always had been after the injury so when her fingers refused to curl as Talia ran her thumb over the inside of her hand she squared her jaw and let out a flat " _Hm."_

Seemingly satisfied that Cassandra was telling the truth, Talia let go.

"See? I told you," Cassandra said snatching her hand away. 

But her sister was not so easily convinced. "I know you, Cassa. There is something you are not telling me."

"Listen, Tali, I know you don't want me to go back out there--"

"Cassa, I am Ingvarri," Talia interrupted. "I know you have to go. I also know that if there is anyone who can stop this monster, it is you. I just do not want you to be _stupid_ and rush into this fight if you are not ready for it."

_How easy it is... to take a life._

It whispered in her mind, the sentiments of the day before. Her own words, the ones that clung to her as she watched Talia sleep and begged her soul not to slip away during the night and Cassandra realized how easy it was to die. She knew... because she had. There wasn't much to remember from those moments when blackness claimed her vision and numbed her senses but one thing was for certain and that was when she had said the healing incantation it felt the same. That touch... dark, cold, endless...

And it lingered upon her still.

And Cassandra realized she was not prepared for what lie ahead. But... it didn't matter. She had her orders and she would be with the rest of her sisters on the front line tomorrow.

Eyes that were normally bright with mischief looked at her tired and worried so Cassandra placed a hand on her sister's shoulder and met her steady gaze. "Tali, I'm fine. And I'm ready."

For a long moment Talia looked into her eyes searching for any falsehood that lived there then, with a defeated sigh, she nodded. " _Ya ya,_ fine. Go chase all the glory. Leave me here to my stuffy room and my cute medic attendants. Maybe I will finally get some rest tonight without someone snoring in my ear."

Cassandra couldn't help but shake her head and smile. Talia... she really was one of a kind. 

Which made what she was about to do all the more painful.

Turning away from her sister, Cassandra took a step towards the weapons on her own bed and ran a hand over them.

"Talia, I need you to promise me something."

"No."

"If anything happens to me..."

Talia shook her head. " _No_."

"... You have to swear to me..."

 _"Cassa, don't..._ "

"... You'll protect Rapunzel."

The words hung in the air like an omen. She had spoken them before, always before a bad situation that grew worse, always before she was at Death's black table turning over her cards to see if she could cheat it one last time. Cassandra knew it was unfair to ask such a thing from her sister but there was nothing worse than facing that dark specter wondering if this was the moment her luck ran out... and having her last thoughts be of leaving Rapunzel all alone in a world full of monsters.

_I'll always be there to protect you, Raps._

Always... _hmph_ , "always" was a very long time and as Cassandra's newest scar pulled across her chest she knew her heart would keep that promise but her body... her body might not make it.

Cassandra kept her back turned and busied herself with her weapons, unsheathing her knife first and checking it for damage. Her thumb ran carefully along the edge. A few nicks, more than a few scratches... she could relate. But the Ingvarri steel was strong and not so easily broken.

"Cassa."

The blade returned to its place of rest with a hiss and Cassandra secured it around her hips.

"Please, Talia. It's just for peace of mind," she said distractedly. "The High Mother is sending an entire platoon and--"

"Cassa."

"... Know what we're dealing with now--"

_"Cassa."_

"... Can find some kind of weakness--"

_"Cassandra."_

The hand that reached for her sword froze. The fingers had yet to even brush the worn leather of the sheath yet they curled away as if suddenly struck with guilt.

Her name... it sounded so strange in Talia's accent and suddenly Cassandra realized it was the first time she heard her sister say it. Never in the entire time she had known her had she ever called her by her full name. She was always _Cassa_ or _rhanvar_ or, in those early days, _feylahn._ But now... 

She turned.

Talia held out a hand to her and her eyes begged her to take it. The fingers that had reached for her sword reached for her sister instead and as soon as they touched her palm Talia pulled her towards her and wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

"Talia..."

The Ingvarri released her and she brought their foreheads together and closed her eyes. "You are coming back," she said her voice beginning to break. 

"Talia, swear to me..." Cassandra said.

"I will swear it to you if you swear you are coming back!" Talia said strongly as a tear dropped from beneath her lashes. 

"Tali, _please_..." Cassandra whispered, her voice wavering upon that last pleading word. 

"Swear to me..."

Cassandra wrapped her fingers around the hand upon her face and closed her eyes, letting the tears fall unashamed. "I'm coming back."

_"Swear to me, Cassa..."_

" _Ae vaodeska_ , I'm coming back."

With the smallest of movements she felt Talia nod. 

"Good," she said with a sniffle and she patted her sister's cheek. "Since you are coming back, I do not need to watch over Rapsi for you," she chuckled. 

"Talia..."

In a much quieter voice she said, "I will protect her. _Ae tyr va myn vaodeska."_

A vow. An oath. A promise. The Ingvarri only had one word for such a thing and it meant all of these and more so when it left Talia's mouth as a whisper, Cassandra knew in her heart her sister would keep her pledge.

She finally released her and both her and Talia wiped a hand across their eyes at the same time and Talia chuckled at her bashfulness.

"I will make sure our stubborn _rhanvar_ does nothing stupid, Tali."

They both turned and she saw Yula in the doorway.

"That is a feat too great even for a great _skaikandr_ such as yourself, Yula," Talia teased then nodded her chin towards Cassandra. "This one is full of stupid."

With a smile upon her face, Yula shook her head and walked over to her sisters and wrapped her arms around both of them. " _Myn rhanvarlai,"_ she whispered. How close... how close she had been to losing both of them.

After a moment, the tall warrior inhaled quickly and let the heavy thoughts drift from her mind as she released her sisters and patted Cassandra on the back.

"Are you ready, Cassa?" she asked. 

The sword slide solidly into her sheath and Cassandra slung it carefully over her back then nodded.

"Let's go home then. We have a big day tomorrow." Yula put a hand upon her shoulder and nudged her towards the door. "Do not worry, Tali. We will be back before you know it."

"Anja protect you, _rhanvari,"_ Talia said and wished that her prayer was enough to keep her sisters safe.


	14. Divining the Cosmic Threads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eos discovers a startling truth about the moonstone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eos is such a mood killer I didn't want him to kill the good vibes of the last chapter so he gets his own ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Time.

An infinite as the cosmos.

As unforgiving and unyielding as the great Scales of Balance held upon the innumerable godly hands of Vega. 

There was much for Eos to contemplate but even a Celestial didn't have eternity to ponder the possibilities, especially when the most dangerous of them all was surviving off the meager remains of slain cosmic brethren.

The promptings had been light at first: a shout of dissonance upon the chords within his skull, a multi-fanged assault upon his senses like a searing needle to his spine...

And now the not so subtle warning that pulled like an invisible chain around his throat.

Nova was running out of time.

He needed to hurry.

Electric hellfire surged across his skin and he let the pain wash over him before he let a low rumble escape his chest. It was an acknowledgement yet the way his fingers twitched it could have been mistaken for something more. He understood what was at stake here yet the fact that Nova's reminders were becoming more forceful betrayed her desperation. She must have felt it already then, the pulsations of chaotic energy growing more and more unstable within her causing her fragile shell of a body to crack even further.

If she did not absorb the sun drop and stabilize soon...

This pathetic corner of the galaxy was doomed.

Eos had seen it before from afar. Glorious was its chaos, all those voices upon the cosmic threads singing upon colors of the pain spectrum so bright it was a wonder to his gifted sight. So clear was the memory that he found himself temporarily lost in it... watching as the star collapsed and all those within reach were consumed by its insatiable hunger and turned what once was a beautiful corner of the cosmos into pure darkness. 

Magnificent was its destruction. 

Poetic was its fate. 

Yet Eos had not watched it alone. 

Amusement painted the air beside him with undertones of appreciation and, yes, even a subtle longing for more _._ It hung in the air, that azure tinged desire for chaos...

An echo of a scream suddenly slid across his mind like a blade and Eos wrenched his head quickly to the side like he could rip himself from the very thought yet still it remained. 

Those shouts of pain... he recognized them instantly.

They were his own.

But there was no time for such reveries. Revenge would only be his if he delivered the moonstone child to Nova.

She was already in place waiting none too patiently in one of the last celestial holy sites of power and Celeanos was in the Nexus ready to send him there. It was amazing that place had survived as long as it did but even broken and dilapidated as it was, it suited their needs just fine. There weren't too many locations left in this world that could send a signal into the heavens and reach the stars... 

A signal Nova herself couldn't send.

That was the purpose of the moonstone child. 

The only Celestial remnant of Solsta and Chandra left in this world... and the only one who could bring them back to this planet.

It seemed foolish to believe that the sun drop and moonstone would willingly come back to this place but such was the beauty of the plan that called upon sweet lady Revenge. Pain was a powerful motivator, one that forced even the most stubborn to comply with the simplest of requests and Chandra was stubborn indeed. Yet when the moment came and Nova enticed Cassandra to call out to Chandra between gasps of pain and drops of blood begging her cosmic originator to save her... Eos knew the moonstone would come. Of that he had no doubt.

Then Nova in her fire and fury would rip Solsta and Chandra apart just like she had done so long ago... except this time she would make sure Chandra didn't interfere. 

It would be slow. Painful. Nova would fracture the moonstone and destroy it so intimately...

No. 

There were worse ways Chandra could suffer.

Like holding up the sun drop before its eyes just out of reach and running a delicately sharp claw across the surface of its beloved. The screams that would follow... Solsta's in pain and Chandra's in grief... it would make the cosmic threads sing an elegy of despair the likes of which the universe had never heard before. Then, slowly, oh so slowly, Nova would absorb the sun drop while the moonstone watched helpless and broken and prove that all the time and sacrifice that was made to keep them together was useless because in the end there was no such thing as a perfect union of the stars. It always ended in death and despair. 

And Nova was both.

Eos sneered. Good. That traitor deserved it.

But none of it could happen unless he brought them Cassandra.

With a slight jerk of his neck he tilted his head to the side and raised a hand as if preparing to strike up a band... and paused.

A single finger flexed.

Then...

In one downward stroke he sliced the throat of the air.

And everything erupted into a symphony of color.

Waves began to dance and the threads began to sing, each one uniquely pulsing in time with the cosmic melody he could see so clearly. Rare was the gift to see the network of creation as he could. Rarer still that those who possessed it were still alive. It was a powerful thing to see the strands of life and how it wove itself in and out of the fabric of the universe. Infinite. Consuming. A delicacy among the cosmic brethren that called to the greediest... and deadliest. 

And Eos had indeed joined with one of the most dangerous in exchange for protection against much more... unsavory celestial counterparts. And in return, a promise to hunt down the sun drop and moonstone.

Spider-like fingers plucked through the visual noise, searching...

Where was it... that glowing undulation of power? That pulsing blue tune of azure chaos...?

It was taking longer this time, finding that line of blue. Being closer to his target didn't seem to help; the presence of Cassandra was faded almost like she had vanished from the world completely but he knew she was there... hiding.

_There..._

The thin blue thread that wound through so much in this world lingered upon his fingers and Eos caressed its trail through time and space until...

 _This. What is_ THIS _??_

Angry fingers pinched at the air and he held it up to unseeing eyes but to his other senses it screamed at him with shock and disbelief. 

It had split not once... but _twice_.

One thread suddenly became three. Chandra, Cassandra... and another.

“ _Impossible_...” Eos hissed.

The cosmic threads did not _split_. The fact that Chandra had created a mortal that shared the power of the moonstone in the first place was inconceivable... never in time immemorial had such a thing been done and if it hadn't been for the words written upon that discarded mortal scroll, he never would have believed it.

But to split again and create a _third_...

Eos curled his lips back, slightly impressed. Chandra had always been dangerous. He had seen firsthand the kind of chaos his dark sibling could cause, the ripples of some which still sang throughout the cosmos. Glorious, sweet, chaos...

Until Solsta had ruined everything.

Chandra should have let him do away with the sun drop in the first place but instead... 

The betrayal seared across Eos's skin like a subtly drawn unbreakable blade and delicately crafted fingers reached up and touched his helm and caressed the space just above where his right eye would have been... had Chandra not taken it.

Suddenly he was filled with the memory of flashing colors as the moonstone's emotions rang loudly through the air in a pattern of fierce protection and fire telling Eos not to go after Solsta again for if he did... there would be no mercy next time.

Mercy. It almost made Eos laugh had the memory of pain not been so fresh in his mind. How clever the moonstone thought itself that by removing the hunter's sight, it thought it had destroyed Eos's ability to see the cosmic threads. Yet little did Chandra know that his gift ran much deeper than physical limitations and nothing could stop him from seeing those spectral forces of life... and from following both the sun drop and moonstone here.

Chandra would pay.

And it would start with Eos delivering its Celestial shard of a human to Nova.

“Mortal fragment...” he said biting off each word.

The source of the duality had to be the human. There was no other explanation. It was almost as if she was trying to throw Eos off her trail by dangling this mysterious weaker strand before him.

It was decided then. He would follow the stronger of the two threads.

And he would find this Cassandra.

This remnant of Chandra.

This... this...

“Abomination...” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you may be thinking I had a couple of word choice errors in this chapter. How can Eos "hear" colors? 
> 
> The easy answer is magic cuz yeah, this is a fictional story.
> 
> But it's actually a phenomena that exists.
> 
> This sensory perception of the cosmos was inspired by something called Chromesthesia, a form of Synesthesia. This is an *association* of sounds with colors where one can see colors when certain musical notes are played.
> 
> It's a bit different from what Eos can see/hear but like I said, it's inspired by Chromesthesia so not exactly the same.


	15. Crimson Dawn - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning of the battle, Cassandra tells Rapunzel she has to leave but Rapunzel doesn't want her to go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I Have To Go - "Breathing Out" by Keaton Henson  
> How Are You Not Scared? - "A Bit of Tin" by Thomas Newman  
> The Promise - "Between Oceans (feat. Juliet Lyons)" by Nick Murray, Juliet Lyons  
> 

A gentle warmth surrounded her, embraced her, protected her from the chill of the night and Rapunzel sank into its depth wanting to remain in its arms forever. In a realm of darkness it was rose gold with hues of lavender and powder as if she was nestled upon a pillow of a blush tinged dreams and for all the world the princess wished that if she was sleeping she never wanted to wake. Yet through the mists of the mind clouds that wrapped around her senses she suddenly felt something stir and pull away.

It was the subtlest of motions, a perception so slight that Rapunzel thought she had imagined it. Such things were possible, of course, as the lingering curtain of sleep blanketed her mind yet as she curled her fingers searching for the familiar she felt nothing underneath them but the plain texture of bedsheets. That softness, that warm presence... they were missing and as Rapunzel slowly opened her eyes her sight confirmed what her touch suspected.

Cassandra was gone. 

"Cass?"

Silence.

Too asleep was her brain to turn to fear yet too awake was she not to wonder. Beneath her questing hand Rapunzel felt the warmth that lingered there and knew Cassandra had lain beside her not too long ago. She brushed her fingertips across the linens and stared dreamily though the lens of sleep's persisting filter before she lifted her gaze. Soft puffs of dust danced in the air and floated through gentle beams of sunlight that were just starting to cascade through the window casting things not in amber but in a curious red glow that heralded clouds upon the horizon. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she followed the path of the rays as they drifted across the table, the floorboards, the bed...

As the shadows retreated from the light they fell upon bare shoulders bathing them in a ruby hue and Rapunzel finally saw Cassandra sitting motionless upon the edge of the bed, her back turned, her head in her hands. 

"Cass?" Rapunzel called softly.

But she didn't turn.

The princess slid across the sheets knowing the sound and motion would give her away but Cassandra seemed so lost in thought that she didn't turn her head, didn't otherwise stir, the only movement the subtle rise and fall of her back as she drew breath. Very gently Rapunzel placed a hand upon her shoulder and moved her thumb back and forth across her skin to let her know she was there and that's when she heard her sigh. It was a sorrowful exhalation of breath that seemed to fill her entire body yet the way it escaped her lips made it seem like it wasn't enough to release whatever burden was inside her and Rapunzel couldn't help but wonder what troubling thoughts were going through her mind to cause her to get so lost in herself. 

"Cass, what's wrong?"

Cassandra remained still, the sunlight painting her skin in warm crimson like the light of a holy fire.

It wasn't unusual for her to keep to herself but within that shield of silence Rapunzel couldn't help but feel like Cassandra couldn't hear her so she pressed just a bit firmer upon her back, her touch tinged with concern.

"Cass..."

"The High Mother’s sending a platoon after the monster today," came the quiet reply.

Her words cut through the air like the sharpest of blades; a whispered hush upon its edge, the voice flat and precise yet mournful in its own deadly accuracy. 

Rapunzel recognized the tone, the barely hidden despair and grief and she realized with a sad sigh it was the sorrow of a heavy heart.

She rested her palm tenderly upon her back and let her fingers curl around Cassandra's left shoulder, the site of one of her oldest injuries, the one that was always sore in the morning. But Rapunzel knew the warmth of her body always made it feel better just like she knew what Cassandra needed now were words of assurance to ease her troubled mind.

"I know you're worried about them but they-"

“She ordered me to go with.”

The thumb that brushed soothing patterns across her skin sudden stopped and in that moment Rapunzel saw Cassandra press her lips together like she wished those words had never escaped them.

She hadn’t looked at her when she said it.

She couldn’t.

And Rapunzel knew why.

“No...” It was a gasp, two letters upon a breath that left the princess’s lungs in a moment of disbelief and despair so great it was almost too much for such a small word to handle. “No, Cass...”

Then with barely a whisper, Cassandra said, “I’m so sorry, Raps.”

The light around them seemed to dim, the air grew just a bit colder, and that precious place within Rapunzel's heart that held all her optimism and hope suddenly turned just a bit darker. 

“Cass, wait...” she began but her voice caught in her throat and the remainder of the words slipped away like the hand that rested upon her back as Cassandra slowly stood and started getting dressed.

“Cass...”

Silence.

“Cassandra, _wait_!”

Whatever cotton remnants of sleep that lingered in her mind suddenly cleared and in one quick movement Rapunzel threw the sheets aside and leapt out of bed. Her bare feet moved rapidly across the floorboards and just as Cassandra picked up her knife belt the princess tore it from her grasp.

It was then that Cassandra finally looked at her, her eyes filled with guilt and sorrow.

“It’s not fair,” Rapunzel said in a voice that felt as broken as her heart. “I _just_ got you back! I can’t watch you leave again! I can’t, Cass...”

“Rapunzel, I’m sorry...”

But the princess just shook her head not wanting to hear apologies or excuses or whatever else Cassandra was going to say to make it all better because she couldn't. 

"No! You’ve already gone! They can send someone else! You've already... you've..." The words trailed off into half syllables on the breath of a barely contained sob that flowed in time to the cracks beginning to form inside her and slowly, very slowly, Rapunzel's felt herself begin to break in a way she never thought possible. 

"You've already done enough," she said instead much more quietly this time. 

Done enough. Given enough. Yet the thirst the world had for her blood was insatiable and Rapunzel knew nobody had given more than Cassandra had. Those wounds she carried with her never healed and there was always one more fight, one more enemy to defeat, one more grand act of redemption the world kept telling her she needed dangling that life of peace just out of reach yet close enough to never let Cassandra forget it was there.

Why, then, did it seem like it was never enough?

It was upon the very question itself Rapunzel realized the answer. It was because Cassandra had one thing left to give. The most precious thing of all coveted by the greediest of eternal entities, the one she had cheated time and again.

The very last debt to be collected.

And some dark part of Rapunzel's heart whispered to her that this would be the battle to finally claim her.

“Cassandra...”

"Raps, please..."

"Don't do this."

"I have to, Raps. I have-"

 _"Don't,"_ the princess interrupted sharply. "Don't you _dare_ say you have orders."

Cassandra didn't. Instead she said nothing.

And Rapunzel turned away.

There was the soft padding of frustrated feet on wooden floorboards as she took two steps towards the window then stopped not knowing where to go, what to do, the belt clutched tightly in her hand. The sunlight washed over her arms but Rapunzel didn't feel its warmth. Her skin prickled and all of a sudden she felt so cold and knew it wasn't the air. It was the feeling inside her chest, that fear, that uncertainty that she might never see Cassandra again. She gazed down at the filtered light upon her hand she noticed the normally amber glow was tinged with a subtle red and suddenly it was all she could see.

Crimson.

The crimson of Cassandra's Ingvarri dress uniform.

The crimson glow of the shard that had flashed around her neck.

The crimson on Cassandra's broken body after they brought her through the city gates.

So desperate was Rapunzel to rid herself of the thoughts that she closed her eyes against the memories but still they remained filled with the thickest shades of red. It was a fear unlike any she had ever felt before. Dark. Complete. Consuming. It was an eclipse shadowing the hope of her heart and suddenly she felt like she couldn't breathe.

There was a creak of floorboards as Cassandra took a tentative step forward but as she did so Rapunzel's grip tightened around the knife belt as if daring Cassandra to try and take it from her. 

"Raps..."

The silence hung between them like the particles of dust that filtered in and out of the rays of sunlight that drifted lazily past the window. Outside, the rest of the world was beginning to wake but not even the muffled sounds of the street below were enough to break the stillness of the moment, so complete was it that even Cassandra's indrawn breath was barely heard. 

"Rapunzel, please listen to me. I have to go. I-"

"Why does it always have to be _you_ , Cass?" Rapunzel said and gestured to the slowly stirring city beyond the window towards the statues of the Seven Sister, towards the High Mother's fortress, towards a nation filled with the fiercest fighters in the world. "They have more than enough warriors! They can send someone else!"

"It _has_ to be me, Raps," Cassandra said quietly yet the firmness of her tone felt like a hand being pressed down upon her own shoulders. With every word she felt like another weight was being placed upon her... the hands of her sisters, the hand of the High Mother, the hands of fate pushing her further and further until she finally gave in and slung that sword over her own back adding the weight of steel to an already weary body. But it wasn't the selfish statement it sound like. It was the truth yet it did little to ease the burden upon her. 

"My sisters don't know what we're up against but I do. I know how this thing strikes. I know what to look for. I can keep them safe. They need me-"

"I need you too!" Rapunzel cried, tears glistening in her eyes. She turned to face Cassandra and looked at her with all the frustration and sorrow and fear that consumed her soul and she searched her face for something, any sign, anything at all, that hers wasn't the only heart that was breaking. But Cassandra met her gaze steadily, her despair hidden behind a veil of cold resolution and a sense of duty that was so typically her that it made Rapunzel’s chest ache.

So typically... Cassandra.

That loyal heart, that unwavering spirit, that desire to protect others... Never before had Rapunzel seen someone shine so brightly with a brilliance all her own it rivaled every star in the sky. It's what she loved most about her but now... now those qualities that filled the princess's heart with glowing admiration were forcing Cassandra to go in a direction Rapunzel feared she would never come back from.

“I need you, Cassandra," she said softly. It was a confession that lingered barely upon a whisper and Rapunzel wished it had been just a bit louder and a lot less mournful but it was all her heart could muster. "I need you to not run off at the first sign of danger thinking you’re the only one who can help. I need you to slow down. I need you to not take the world upon your shoulders for once and just...” Her fingers tightened around the belt that suddenly seemed so heavy in her hand. “Put the weapons away and rest.”

If any magic still existed within her she wished upon whoever was listening to somehow convince Cassandra with those final whispered words not to go yet Rapunzel knew it wouldn't be enough. But still... she had to try.

“Rapunzel, I have to go.”

“If you're going, then I’m coming with you.”

Cassandra shook her head. "This time you can't-"

“No, that’s not how this works, Cass,” Rapunzel said strongly, desperation and helplessness rising in her chest. "I'm not going to be the one who stays behind and wonders if you're ever coming back again!"

“Raps, you can’t-”

_"Why, Cassandra?"_

It was if Rapunzel could feel the wind upon her face as she stood atop that ledge waiting for Cassandra's answer. No... not her. It was her heart, she realized, upon that precipice and knew that at any moment it could fall over the edge again because it had done so once before. So certain was she that Cassandra had died in that moment before her very eyes, eyes that gazed upon a body and nothing else. The soul she loved more than anything else in the world gone without so much as a final breath. 

Inevitable was that moment. The most fragile piece of herself kept waiting and waiting until it finally happened.

To know fear was to know sorrow and to know sorrow was a weight upon a fragile heart that could only take so much. That instrument of the soul could try to push the pain to the surface in tears and sobs and words of pleading but it always felt the same.

To know sorrow was an terrible weight indeed.

But none was worse than watching that missing piece of her heart return only to say she was leaving again and telling her not to follow.

And Rapunzel simply couldn't bear the thought. 

So she waited and when Cassandra spoke the firmness in her voice was betrayed by the pleading in her eyes.

“Because Yula will never let you ride with the squad on a mission such as this and even if she does, I can’t..." Cassandra paused and pressed her lips together and shook her head. "I can't protect my sisters and you at the same time."

"But who's going to protect _you_??" the princess said closing the distance between them and gently but firmly pushed Cassandra's chest where her newest scar peeked over the collar of her jacket. "Who's going to make sure you don't take a crossbow through the heart? Who's going to shove you out of the way of the dagger you didn't see? Who's going to wrap that rope around your leg to catch you when you fall, Cassandra? All that time spent together and you still don't realize we're stronger together! We always were! It's why Zhan Tiri tried so hard to force us apart. She could see it, why can't you??"

"I..." Cassandra breathed then paused not knowing what she had been about to say. It was automatic, the need to defend her actions with words of self but the princess was right. 

And for the briefest of moments she thought about it. Rapunzel, there, by her side amidst the chaos and carnage of a battlefield that had felled so many Ingvarri warriors...

“Rapunzel, you didn’t see what happened to Talia,” she said quietly. “Don’t make me think about what would happen if it was you.”

But the cruelest part about such a dark thought was that it came unbidden anyway like a wraith summoned by the scent of her fear to feed upon those haunting visions.

It started with screams. Hers... someone else's... it didn't matter, they all meant the same thing. It was a memory mixed with a twisted nightmare, a union of remembered cries and someone else's blood warped from the familiar into something new and horrible and suddenly it wasn't Talia laying there in her arms, it was Rapunzel...

The movement startled her. A twitch, nothing more. The muscle in her forearm contracting slightly causing a subtle reflex of her fingers and suddenly Cassandra realized her right hand was shaking.

And without the disguise of her glove Rapunzel saw it too.

"Cassandra..."

"Don't, Raps..."

"Look at what's happening to you..."

"It's nothing-"

"It's _not nothing,_ Cassandra! _Please_ , just... _stop._ _"_

In between the fear and guilt, silence suddenly fell between them and pushed the two apart. 

“This isn't the first time I had to watch you almost slip away,” Rapunzel said softly. It was despair that painted her vision in somber tones and she curled her fingers around the faded leather belt in her hand that had too many cuts upon its surface, was mended too many times that she wondered how it hadn't fallen apart by now, worn and exhausted as it was.

"Those moments when I'm by your bedside and I see you barely holding on... I've never been more terrified in my entire life. I told you I'd never give up on you and I never will but every time I see you lying there and I beg you to open your eyes and you _don't_..." The last word left her chest in a gentle sob as she fought back the tears that threatened to escape. She gazed at Cassandra softly, lovingly, as she remembered brushing those curls away from her face as she placed a hand upon her cheek begging to see those beautiful hazel irises just more time.

A face that had too many scars, eyes that had suffered too many sorrows, and a soul that had known endless cruelty and not enough love. 

Nobody else saw what she did and knew that underneath all the smiles and quips Cassandra was suffering. Every wince, every quiet groan, every twitch of overworked muscle... and as much as Cassandra tried to hide it, Rapunzel noticed.

Yet the worst part was that she shrugged off all the hurt like it was nothing at all.

And the princess realized it was because she was used to it.

"Every time you leave like this I see you come back in pain but that's not the worst part," Rapunzel whispered with barely a breath. "The worst part is that I see you accept the suffering like you deserve it and that... _that_ , Cassandra, is what breaks my heart the most."

She closed her eyes and felt hot tears begin to fall down her face and within her mind she saw her there... saw her like she always did but this time it wasn't the fantasy of love and affection she so often dreamt about. No, this time the princess saw her struggling... struggling to rise, struggling to breathe, struggling to live but that wasn't all. Every time Cassandra donned her weapons Rapunzel could see the way they weighed her down. Her shoulders sagged just a bit further, her steps were just a bit heavier, and the sigh she tried so hard to force from her chest just wasn’t enough to ease the burden of either of them.

But Cassandra never quit. Never complained. Never said a word. 

Because that’s who she was.

And Rapunzel wanted so much more for her than a life of never ending pain.

"You've already given this world enough, Cass. You don't have to keep proving yourself. You've done enough. You've earned your rest. Please, just... stay."

She heard Cassandra take a step forward then stop, something causing her to hesitate. More now than ever the princess wanted her to reach out and feel her hands drifting over her skin, to have those strong arms wrap around her and tell her everything was going to be alright but she didn't.

Because Rapunzel knew Cassandra couldn't lie to her like that. 

“There was a time not too long ago that had you asked me to stay, I would have,” Cassandra confessed. “But instead you knew I had to go find my own destiny and as much as it pained you to let me go, you did. But, Raps... you knew I was coming back. I need you to believe that now.”

The silence that followed held her words suspended between them and for some reason Rapunzel was too scared to open her eyes because she knew what she would see... a beautiful face full of scars that gazed at her with love but with a weary sigh behind it that confessed of resignation to a life under a blade that could fall upon her at any moment. It made Rapunzel wonder when the last time she had seen her not in pain, not with the past cruelly etched into her skin, and when it was hope rather than hurt that was in her eyes. 

But... she didn't have to wonder. 

She knew when.

It was in that moment surrounded by broken things and the remnants of a fight long since over in the kingdom of the heavenly sun, the place where it all began. A moment marked forever in her heart when a confession of love was spoken that ended in an embrace and hopeful farewell. Cassandra was right. As much as she wanted her to stay, Rapunzel had indeed let her go knowing in her heart they'd see each other again.

And eventually they did. 

But now...

Now she wasn't so certain.

“Would you have stayed... had I asked you to before the last mission?” Rapunzel asked quietly.

It had been a warm morning much like this one yet things seemed so different. The air had been filled with excitement instead of dread, Rapunzel's eyes had been filled with hope and love instead of fear, and Cassandra's heart longed for the moment when she would return and sit with her family around the fire and eat and joke and laugh about anything and everything. But much like the sun that had woken her, Cassandra remembered the feeling of Rapunzel's hands upon her face and the kiss that followed, the one that consumed her senses and kept her so completely enthralled in the moment like a dream she never wanted to wake up from...

So she let herself wonder and with her imagination driving the possibilities she thought of the path Rapunzel's fingers would have taken as they trailed over her back, across her ribs, and down to her stomach until she reached the buckle of her knife belt...

The breath caught in Cassandra's chest and her abs tightened at the mere though of it but instead of lingering on the sensation she pushed the rest of the fantasy forward to see what would have happened and... yes. Had the princess taken her weapons from her... she would have let her. 

And they would have stayed in that room all day. Just the two of them. No waiting for her to come back. No mission. No monsters to fight...

Cassandra pressed her lips together and shook her head as her sight began to blur with the realization of what it meant, had she not gone.

“I would have...” she admitted then the muscles in her neck twitched as she fought back the rising tide of emotions and added in a much softer voice, “and Talia would have died.”

Rapunzel’s bottom lip trembled and as she turned away she closed her eyes as a tear escaped from beneath her lashes because she knew in her heart it was true.

Was it selfish of her, then, to want to keep Cassandra wrapped in her arms warm and safe while sisters, daughters, mothers risked their lives in her place? How many women wouldn't come home because Cassandra wasn't there to help them? They had families to come home to, too.

“Raps, I know you’re scared...”

“How are you not, Cassandra?” the princess countered quietly. “How are you not terrified to go back out there after what happened to you?”

“What makes you think I’m not?”

The rare admission caused Rapunzel to look at her she searched Cassandra's eyes for that shadow of fear but instead of being clouded by the ghosts of the unimaginable her gaze was as unwavering as always. 

“Where is it, Cass?” Rapunzel asked. “Because I don’t see it.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s not there,” Cassandra said taking a step forward. “It’s a different kind of fear, Raps. Not for what I’m up against or what I’m going to face out there... it’s for what will happen if I fail the people I love. It’s the thought of what will happen to my sisters and Talia and you if I don’t stop that thing. _That’s_ what scares me the most and if I can do something to stop it..." She shook her head and looked at Rapunzel in the softest way possible and whispered, "I have to try, Raps. You know I do."

Rapunzel did know.

_She bears the scars so others do not have to._

Those words spoken so long ago summarized an undeniable truth so deep that Rapunzel saw past the suffering and heartache and what lay underneath was the one person she loved with the most courageous of hearts and unbreakable of spirits.

There was never a moment in her life when she hadn't seen Cassandra shining with a noble luminance of her own. Her strength, her courage, her compassion... they flowed around her like a cloak of the most brilliant light and gleamed off the steel of her blades, her armor, within her eyes...

It was in her dreams, that image of the chivalrous knight Rapunzel always knew Cassandra was even if nobody else couldn't see it. She always had been.

Which is why she knew she had to go even when her heart pleaded with her not to. 

"Raps..."

She was her courage. Her strength. Her heart.

“I have to go.”

Her hero.

“I know,” Rapunzel whispered then turned back towards the window and closed her eyes.

Soft footsteps approached her from behind and very slowly Cassandra lifted the knife belt from her grasp and as soon as Rapunzel felt it slip from her fingers she could hold back the sorrow no longer. With a single indrawn breath she pressed her lips together in a grim line as one tear fell then another yet she made no move to wipe them away. There was no point.

She waited to hear the sound of the brass buckle being fastened and the hush of leather sliding against fabric as Cassandra positioned it low on her left side. She waited for the whisper of one final apology and perhaps a guilty kiss before Cassandra departed. And, finally, she waited to hear the sound of boots walking away to heed the call that couldn't be ignored. 

Maybe it would've been easier that way. Maybe it would have hurt less but Rapunzel didn't want to leave words of fear and sorrow between them.

Not when there was a chance they couldn't be unsaid later. 

That's why she was surprised when she heard the muffled sound of leather and steel being placed upon the bed and in the next moment strong arms wrap around her and she became undone. Cassandra pressed her lips against the back of Rapunzel's shoulder and the princess couldn't help but lean her head against hers. Rough yet gentle hands drifted across her stomach and Rapunzel placed her palms over them and pressed them closer to her like if she let go she would never see Cassandra again.

So she held her. Held her like she was going to lose her and together they stood in silence in the light of the crimson dawn. 

"How much time do we have?" Rapunzel asked after a moment.

"I'm already late," Cassandra whispered into her hair. 

Those arms that held her together began to loosen but Rapunzel shook her head.

"Not like this," she said. "I don't want to say goodbye like this."

She turned suddenly and captured Cassandra's bottom lip with her own and leaned against her, her body instinctively fitting into hers in a way they both knew so well and as she pressed their hips together she felt a hand wrap around her lower back and pull her close. The kiss that was returned was so sure, so confident that when Cassandra inhaled through her nose her chest rose and she pulled Rapunzel with her. 

But to the princess it wasn't the sweetest memory she hoped it would be. Instead it was the bitterest of goodbyes marked with the salt of her tears as they fell down her face. 

And Cassandra could taste the sadness and feel Rapunzel's fear in the way she clung to her so afraid of letting her go. In a moment that was all too brief, Cassandra kissed her one last time then slowly and regretfully pulled her lips away.

"Raps, this isn't goodbye."

"I know, Cass. I just..." The rest of her words were lost upon a whisper of a hope that was suddenly so thin, so weary, so fragile. Tested yet not tempered by witnessing one too many tragedies. 

"I just wish we had more time," Rapunzel finished as she brushed her thumb across the scar upon Cassandra's chin.

"We have time," Cassandra replied. "All the time in the world. When I get back, we'll... we'll..."

Her mind suddenly filled with all the promises of places they had yet to go, each one marked upon a mental map she had made so long ago. Ingvarr had been only one stop among many to show Rapunzel there were more amazing places than Corona out there, other kingdoms, other cultures, other people to call her family and welcome her home and so much more. _Stars_ , there was so much out there they had yet to see...

Experiences they had yet to have, foods they had yet to try, towns they had yet to get kicked out of... All the adventures, all the mischief, all the happiness and thrills and laughter they had yet to share and most importantly all the memories they had yet to make.

“The Monuments of Malastyne,” Cassandra began. They came to her, those images of towering stone wonders and mystic waterfalls and as each one flashed before her mind she looked at Rapunzel with growing excitement behind her eyes. “The Whistling Hollows. The Floating Isles. The... um...”

"The Painted Fields of Avondar," Rapunzel finished.

"Yeah," Cassandra breathed with a smile. "All of them, Raps. All of the places I promised to take you, I will when I get back. Just you and me like we always planned. I promise that we’ll have as many nights under the stars as you want. I promise that there will be no more fighting monsters because I don’t ever want to leave you behind again because life seems so much better when you’re there. I don't ever want you to wonder if I'm coming home because that's not the life I want for you... for _us_. I want us to have more. I want us to... I want... I..."

She opened her mouth but the words refused to come, the mind not comprehending what the heart wanted so there was only one other way to say it. 

Cassandra slid her fingers down Rapunzel’s arms and took both hands in hers before slowly descending to her knee. 

It was the light as it shone around her that stole Cassandra's breath, the way it outlined Rapunzel in an aura of ruby and gold as if the sun itself were bestowing a gift of pure heavenly radiance upon its celestial miracle given human form. Never before had Cassandra seen her like this and it was if she was gazing upon her for the very first time, those eyes, that smile... they did things to her that were both wonderful and terrifying and she had no idea how a single look, a touch, a kiss could leave her on her knees absolutely speechless. 

So perfect. So beautiful. Rapunzel was the halo in an otherwise dark universe, the only star in an otherwise empty sky... Her light. Her hope. Her heart.

Those words Cassandra desperately wanted to say fell from her mind as she knelt frozen in the most intimate of gestures that would forever be sealed in both their memories until time unending. So they remained there motionless in a perfect moment and Cassandra looked into Rapunzel's eyes with nothing but love and she saw tears beginning to gather there but she knew they weren’t tears of sorrow.

Not anymore.

It was the smallest of inhales that filled Rapunzel’s chest and it left in a breath so soft that the name upon her lips sounded like a prayer unlike anything any ancient deity had ever heard before.

“Cass...”

For all the muscles Cassandra could control, her heart was never one of them and it began to beat so wildly all she could do was gaze into those eyes knowing there was one last promise she wanted to make and she didn’t dare wait until she returned.

 _“Ae tyr va myn esthreska, myn rykr, myn skildr,”_ Cassandra said. "It means-"

"I know what it means," Rapunzel whispered. She knelt down upon the floor with her and placed a hand upon Cassandra's cheek then brushed her thumb across the corner of her lips and smiled.

Impossible, it was, that Cassandra could feel a single heartbeat then nothing more. It sang so loudly in her ears that all she could do was search Rapunzel's eyes as her mouth tried to find the words to ask...

"How did...?"

It was the way Rapunzel's lips curled up just enough into the gentlest of grins and how her eyes softened as she brushed a rogue curl away from Cassandra's eyes so she could see her, all of her. 

"Talia's not very subtle about such things,” she said.

“I...” The rest of the words escaped Cassandra and the remainder of her breath turned into a short yet quiet laugh, the kind that simply couldn't believe a moment like this could exist. There was nothing to stop the tears from gathering in her eyes or love from filling her chest so she simply looked at Rapunzel at a loss for words but with so much she still wanted to tell her...

“How do you say it?” the princess asked softly.

Very slowly, Cassandra placed her fingers over hers and pressed it against her face and as a tear slid down her cheek she said, _“E Ae rinn...”_

 _“E Ae rinn,”_ Rapunzel repeated and leaned in just a bit closer.

 _“Etlaska va varga...”_ Cassandra said lowering her eyes to her lips.

And with each word...

_“Etlaska va varga.”_

A promise was made...

_“Sval vat rinn...”_

Of love undying...

_“Sval vat rinn.”_

The union of two souls...

_“Aldr yld.”_

From the moon, the stars, to the heavens above...

_“Aldr yld.”_

Was spoken an oath of eternal love. 

Rapunzel's lips were upon her the moment the last word left her chest on that final exhalation of breath. It was a whisper like the gentle yet passionate kiss they both found themselves in but soon with questing hands it became so much more. The lingering chill in the air was cast away as their bodies came together, Rapunzel's hands upon Cassandra's face and Cassandra's lips hot against her own and with a sharp inhale fingers wound through hair and across skin. The princess felt Cassandra’s hand slid from Rapunzel's neck to her shoulder and underneath the collar of the tunic she wore so loosely. Suddenly the princess lifted her chin and she rose high upon her knees and dove down into Cassandra's embrace, deeper and deeper until she felt Cassandra's chest pressed against her own. 

In between gasps of air and those moments when their lips touched were small exhalations of laughter followed as always by a renewed intensity that rivaled all kisses that came before it. Rapunzel held Cassandra's face tenderly and couldn't help but smile against her skin as their lips came together again and again. 

Of one who has seen the worst of humanity and one who has seen the best, the twilight and the dawn, one who finds her way by moonlight and the other by the sun, the hush, the dream, and the rare space between when the two meet in the briefest of moments when the light touches the darkness they came together. As Rapunzel leaned into her, Cassandra drew her closer and her back curved like a crescent cradling the most precious of treasures as the light bathed Rapunzel from behind setting her aglow with shades of ruby and gold. A rustle of cloth, a hand upon flesh; fingertips ran across freckles while another caressed the scars and... suddenly Rapunzel felt the rough edges of the barely healed mark upon Cassandra's collarbone and she slowed. 

Their lips parted with the gentlest of sounds and Cassandra lowered her eyes to look at the princess's mouth and lightly touched their foreheads together. 

"I'm coming back," she whispered.

Rapunzel couldn't help but gently trace the scar that was both life and death but instead of having her linger upon thoughts of just how fragile life was, Cassandra wrapped her hand around the princess's and placed it over her heart, the one that was still beating underneath all those layers of marked skin.

It was strong, stable, and when Rapunzel looked into Cassandra’s eyes and smiled it suddenly began to beat faster. 

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Rapunzel nodded slightly and kissed her one last time then threw her arms around her neck and fell into her embrace. 

Cast as silhouettes against the crimson dawn, they sat upon the floor in each other's arms until the call came to take Cassandra away.


	16. Crimson Dawn - Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra meets with the Ingvarri commanders to come up with a plan of attack before departing the city for battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meeting With The Ingvarri Commanders - "Summit" by Dario Marianelli / “The Maze Runner” by John Paesano & Pete Anthony  
> Something Followed Us... - "Fable" by Ryan Taubert  
> Gathering At The Gate - "To Camp Four" by Dario Marianelli  
> No Farewell For Cassandra - "Eschaton" by Tony Anderson, Chris Coleman  
> The Chant/ Call of the Storm - "Legend" by Ryan Taubert  
> Summoning The Storm - the tempo follows "In Maidjan" by Heilung (specifically the Senua Chant but the video is rated "Mature" cuz it's an MA game. Watch at your own risk)  
>   
>   
> Mid-season finale is almost upon us. Title break down of the 4 parts:  
> Crimson Dawn - Part 1  
> Crimson Dawn - Part 2  
> The Stolen Light of the Sun  
> The Hands of Destiny
> 
> "The Hands of Destiny" marks the midway point of this story and whooo, what a ways to go...  
> There is one hell of an endgame upon us, my friends.

_From the moon, the stars..._

_I'm coming back._

_To the heavens above..._

_I promise._

_As endless as my feelings..._

_On my own two feet..._

_For you, my love._

_I will walk through those gates._

_I promise._

There was more than just a single moment upon those words. It was a lifetime. A lifetime of wanting, a lifetime of searching, a lifetime of wandering and finding and forgetting... a lifetime of mistakes that had, in the end, led her to where she was now.

How, then, could they be called mistakes? 

_I love you, Raps._

Maybe they weren't.

Every touch, every glance...

_I love you too, Cass._

Maybe... maybe every time she tripped and stumbled, every time her feet dragging through mud she didn't see, every thorny bramble and sharp branch and brittle vine on that path she traveled was a step in the right direction.

All this time...

Maybe it was always meant to be this way.

More memories... she could feel them, each a whisper upon her skin. They began to overlap, some more faded than others but just as important, each vying for attention like very curious fireflies dancing before her eyes.

What started as a mind set in perfect concentration was suddenly cluttered with thoughts too numerous, too noisy, too wonderful and simply too distracting that Cassandra's gaze became unfocused and she stared blankly at the heavy wooden doors before her. But it wasn't just the beautiful chaos inside her head. It was the lingering sensation of fingertips upon her face, that feeling like lightning in her chest, the taste of sweet flowers as Rapunzel brushed her bottom her own in the most fleeting of ways...

A heavy hand descended upon her shoulder causing her to flinch.

"Are you ready, Cassa?" Yula asked. 

_Ready? Ready for...?_

And suddenly Cassandra remembered where she was.

Her chest rose as she inhaled sharply then let it out slowly. No, she wasn't ready but if they didn't act now time would become their Medusa and by then it would be too late to move. It needed to be now. And she needed to be ready.

But first she needed to focus.

Those thoughts... those wonderful, beautiful thoughts... she wanted to swim in them, gather them to her chest and never let them go but instead she gently pushed them to a very special corner of her mind. There would be time enough for that later when she was home, safe, and wrapped in the warm embrace of her fiancée. 

_Fiancée._

The corner of Cassandra's mouth began to quirk upwards in a smile and she pressed her lips together lest someone notice... yet that feeling within her heart remained. 

It gave her a strength she didn't know existed; past physical limitations, past the constraints of her mind, the sensation, the confidence, the power it gave her made her feel simply invincible. So consuming was it that it burned hotter than anger ever could and filled her with a light so pure and bright it chased away her fear, her doubt, the uncertainty of futures and fates and for once in her life everything was clear and...

_"Cassa."_

It was a sharp but gentle voice, one that demanded her attention and Cassandra once again realized she had drifted off into the dream space of emerald eyes and chestnut locks that felt so soft... 

"Where are you, _rhanvarla_?" Yula asked. "Because you are not here." 

"I'm sorry," Cassandra replied quickly. "I'm sorry. I just..."

 _How do you do it, Raps?_ she wondered. _How do you make me feel like this..._

"I'm sorry," she said again and placed two fingers upon her brow and shook her head slightly. _Come on, Cass._ "I'm ready."

The incredulous look her sister gave her suggested more questions but they were buried underneath the benefit of the doubt. 

Instead Yula said, "I know you are nervous but I need you present. Now listen..."

She turned Cassandra towards her so that they were facing each other and held her gaze steadily. "Be firm. Do not let them intimidate you and if they challenge you, answer truthfully. Stand your ground with them. Respect is earned, not given, _especially_ with them."

Cassandra nodded and Yula gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"I will be right beside you, _rhanvarla_. I always am."

And with that the doors boomed open before them.

Cassandra had been in war room before. Well, it wasn't so much a "war room" as it had been an office and the "wars" that had been planned in said room had been more like assignments babysitting the pampered and powdered asses of high nobles that could tell if a cushion was too soft or not soft enough and heaven help you if they could feel the firmness of the wooden seat underneath it.

But that was the difference between Ingvarr and Corona; in a world of very real danger, only one was prepared to face them and Cassandra considered herself lucky to have chosen the side with the most weapons and those who had the strength and courage to wield them.

With measured steps, she strode forward.

Voices.

Strong.

Sharp.

They filled the air and parried back and forth like blades of the spoken word but suddenly they quieted and all eyes turned in her direction...

And Cassandra couldn't help but feel like a rabbit that had just stepped into a den of wolves. 

Legends. All of them. They towered above her, watched her walk into the room noting her gait, the soft touch of her footsteps as they stepped upon the stone, how close her hand lingered to her knife at her side and, perhaps most importantly, where she looked. Cassandra knew she was being measured but before she could straighten her back and lift her chin, everyone in the room had already marked and assessed her strengths and weaknesses so completely should it come down to blades drawn, she knew she didn't stand a chance.

It was a good thing they were all on the same side.

The Ingvarri taught that the mark one leaves upon the world is not measured in how many lives one takes or how many treasures one accumulates. It is measured in the deeds upon the backs of those brave enough to grab fate by the throat and force it to submit to their will. To look into the face of the unknowable without fear and tell it how things will be, not what they were predestined to be. 

So as Cassandra gazed upon the cadre of Ingvarri commanders she knew these were women who had done just that. For the longest time they only existed in stories told to initiates such as herself around the campfires after a long day of training. So extraordinary were the tales that Cassandra at one point began to wonder if they were made up to give the trainees something to strive towards. But she had seen the truth of it in the way the senior sisters rose to their feet and spread their arms wide slashing and blocking imaginary foes as they recounted the tales of the High Mother's finest...

Commander Naomi, the Singing Sword of Ingvarr. 

Commander Ashtarre, the Ice Dragon of Ingvarr.

Commander Jarga, the Iron Fist of Ingvarr.

And, of course, Commander Drenica, the Demon Hunter of Ingvarr. 

Defenders of the remote regions. Fighters of the oppressed. Those who stood against them be they warlords, slavers, murderers or abusers all fell before the unwavering blades of these fiercest daughters of Ingvarr and as Cassandra stood in their very presence she couldn't help but feel their power in their stares and stances, so confident. So strong. So sure.

Yet as much as they revered the Seven for their loyalty, speed, and fearlessness, there was, however, no blessed Sister for patience so with a creak of leather and clink of steel, arms folded across chests as the commanders stared down at Cassandra who suddenly realized they were all waiting for her to speak.

A hand upon her shoulder shocked her out of her reverie and she turned and saw Yula nod at her and gesture to the group.

"Go ahead, Cassa," she said.

As Cassandra stepped forward she couldn't help but feel the apprehension rise in her chest. She was a _re_ _yvek_ among _sk_ _aikandri_ , after all, and warriors did not attend the Council of Commanders unless there was a very good reason.

But there was.

She had information.

And with that information they were going to figure out how to kill a monster.

A large table filled the center of the room strewn with maps, thumbnail sized colorful stones and two very sharp daggers that had been thrust into the wood. Whether it had been for emphasis or from aggressive statements Cassandra didn't know yet by the looks some of the commanders were giving her she figured it was the latter. Her eyes quickly ran over the peaks and valleys laid out before her and she couldn't help but feel like a bird upon a current looking down at Ingvarr from so high above. She had seen the world like that once before. She remembered...

No. Not now. There was no time.

Instead she focused on the markings, found the one she was looking for, and pointed upon the worn parchment directing their attention to that one spot.

"Twelve and a quarter clicks south southeast is where we found Iyana's squad," Cassandra began, dragging her finger across the beautifully illustrated terrain to show the path her and Talia had taken. "There's an area of trees that thickens into a dense grove right before it reaches the first drop that angles down into the ravine below. Here." She pointing to the edge of the forest where the stone fell away into the first of several gorges. "We encountered it here."

"Describe it," Drenica said. Respect demanded that Cassandra meet her gaze but when she did only one eye stared back at her. The other was clouded, sightless, with a cruel jagged scar that ran from her brow and angled down her cheek indicating the cut of a weapon in motion. In her mind Cassandra could see upon the wound itself the moment she had pulled away, how the scar curled at the corner... a wicked strike that otherwise could have cleaved her skull in half. Most people would have tried to hide such a devastating injury but the Demon Hunter wore it proudly. It was a testament to her skill... that she survived an encounter with Diaga the Demon and only partially lost her sight whereas other sisters before her had lost so much more.

Lost... yes, Cassandra thought as the scar across her ribs began to ache. She, too, had lost something to the Demon... something very precious indeed and one day she would get it back.

But right now she had a job to do.

"First the temperature dropped and not just because we were under the canopy," Cassandra explained. "It was colder than shade, like ice on bare skin. It moves through the shadows like it's swimming through water but faster. Fluid movements. Too fluid to calculate, too erratic to predict. It uses the darkness as arms and can grab or throw whatever gets in its path. It's weapon..." 

She took a moment as her mind pulled forth the memory of the cruel bite that threaded itself into her until it tasted blood... "It's weapon is made of shadows, not metal. You won't see a flash of light before it strikes. It bites into your flesh and rips it apart like hooks that sink underneath your skin then pulls."

Cassandra paused and waited though she didn't quite know what to expect. Certainly not gasps, not from this hardened crowd, but perhaps a question of her sanity at least. Yet the commanders did neither. Evil took many forms in this world and these women had seen most of them. As impossible as this creature seemed, it was just another enemy... an enemy that had killed Ingvarri.

An enemy they would make _bleed_.

"If it is truly incorporeal, then how did it _break_ Ingvarri steel?" Commander Jarga asked.

"It didn't," Cassandra clarified. "Talia's sword broke when the monster threw her. The weapon never made contact with our blades, only our skin."

"So it is solid when it strikes yet incorporeal when it does not," Commander Naomi said thoughtfully then shook her head. "This is an impossible plan to formulate..."

"Impossible to the less creative perhaps, Naomi," Commander Ashtarre replied. "Everything has a weakness. What is its motive?"

"Humans kill with motive," Jarga replied. "This thing is an animal."

"If that were true then everyone in Valengarr would be dead," Ashtarre countered yet her sister turned to her and gave her a piercing stare that could have punctured the strongest of shields. 

"There is no reason behind the kind of slaughter is has committed," Jarga argued. "All _rhanvari_ who have it encountered met their end at the hands of this creature."

"Not all of them." 

That's when the biggest wolf entered the room.

" _Roskedda..._ " Naomi said reverently.

Backs straightened, muscles tensed, and the voice of the room was choked to silence by the woman who strode towards them.

Cassandra had heard the stories. They all had. One did not go through Valengarr without hearing about the legendary High General second only to the High Mother herself. Whispered upon unworthy lips the tales told of the fiercest warrior, the one who rarely smiled yet when she did it was the sharpest of blades being drawn from its sheath and once it was out, it was guaranteed someone was going to die. It was what earned her the name the Fangs of Ingvarr, after all.

But as Cassandra stared at the warrior before her, so certain was she that she misheard Naomi for if this was indeed the High General, then...

With arms crossed behind her back in that relaxed yet formidable pose she so favored, Inga strode confidently to the table and turned her gaze upon each commander in turn, impaling them one by one with her sharp blue eyes.

Not a word was spoken, not a breath drawn, not a creak of armor or clatter of steel among them. 

Patiently they waited for her to speak.

Inga held the space in silence in an iron grip as she measured those gathered before her. Then...

"There is one here who survived the battle," she said at last. "The _only_ one who did which makes me think it did indeed have a motive."

She turned to Cassandra who suddenly found herself the object of the Wolf Mother's complete and undivided attention.

"What was it after, _rhan?"_ she asked in a low voice.

Impossible it was not to shrink underneath that stare but Cassandra had not survived as long as she had without being able to push that fear aside so she held that gaze and began to sort through the memories of shouts and blood and the crimson tinged haze of battle sight back to that moment... that moment where the creature spoke precious few words yet revealed... something.

_No power... Where is it...?_

"It was... looking for something," she said in quiet realization. 

"What? What was it looking for?" Inga queried.

Cassandra shook her head. "I don't... I don't know but it didn't find it."

That broken voice... it was an eerie melody that whispered against her skin like the flat of a knife that could turn on its edge at any moment... 

_Show me..._

Fingers... fingers wrapped around her mouth then brushed her throat and she felt something _burning_ and a scream within the silence of her mind began to grow louder until...

"Then why did it retreat when it just as easily could have killed you too?" Drenica asked suddenly causing Cassandra to snap out of her reverie.

"That..." Inga said very slowly and very carefully, "is the right question."

Whether she did it in response to the interrogation or to erase the echoes of pain in her mind Cassandra suddenly shook her head.

_I don't know!_

The frustration in her chest began to grow and even though she knew she needed to keep a level head it was damned near impossible to do so when she was being forced to look back on those moments and relive things she would rather forget. She didn't know why this thing left her alive, didn't know why it seemed so focused on her during the battle, didn't know why it had thrown Talia aside not once but twice and reached for her instead then stopped, inspected her...

And with startling suddenness Cassandra realized the monster hadn't tried to kill her.

A chill prickled the flesh upon the back of her neck and for the briefest of moments it felt suspiciously like something was watching her. She turned her head to the right and as she did so a memory flashed violently before her eyes. The gesture... the creature had done the same, turned as if listening then...

"Something called it away..." she said distractedly. "Or scared it away... I don't... know." Her chin... she tilted it to the side in imitation of the monster and once she realized what she was doing she stopped as a sinister finger of ice dragged down her spine and she suppressed a horrible desire to shiver.

But one did not exist in a room full of the sharpest eyes and not have small movements go unnoticed and Cassandra realized they were all watching her very carefully. Yet it was Inga's unwavering gaze that concerned her the most.

After a moment, it was Ashtarre who broke the silence.

"If it is searching for something then that is motive enough for it to rip through the walls of Ingvarr to find it," she said. "The question is how do we stop it?"

There was a pause as they all considered the possibilities, endless they can be yet when ranked in practicality it limited the infinite to a very small number indeed and the commanders stood without a word to offer.

Yet there was one who was not willing to suffer the silence.

Inga pursed her lips making her impatience visible only because she wanted them all to see it. "You liken this to hunting an animal but this is unlike any animal you have ever faced," she said standing tall. For one who was shorter than the giants in the room, she still managed so somehow look down at the cadre before her, never letting them forget for even a moment that they were commanders in the presence of a general.

With smooth steps she began to move around the room, her hands resting comfortably at the small of her back. 

"A shadow demon. A monster. A creature of darkness." Inga turned and looked at each of them yet when no response came she clenched her jaw in annoyance. " _Think!_ I taught you better than this. It attacks in quick bursts. Fast. Fluid. Everywhere and nowhere." Suddenly she narrowed her eyes. "But where does it _not_ go?"

It was a deep well that Cassandra peered into. Though it seemed bottomless and empty she knew the things that lived there... those dark, haunting memories. Once more she forced herself to the edge to gaze into the shadows and as she did she could feel those horrors watching her from its depths. Then they rose up...

And she started to remember.

The movement... no patterns, no predictability... screams. All she could hear were Talia's agonizing cries as the creature tore her flesh and the whisper of breath as it left her body as she fell into the darkness and the light left her eyes...

"Into the light," Cassandra said softly.

Inga nodded. "The attack on Valengarr, the death of Iyana's squad... they happened at night. The attack on you, _rhan..._ that is the only difference yet I will _bet my blade_ it kept to the shade of the trees."

The last word hissed in the air like a sword being drawn and in one swift movement it slid across the throat of the problem quickly, violently, and the blood that trailed from that one realization was like a sudden splash of red on cold, pristine snow.

All the Ingvarri commanders saw it, the scent of the weakness filling the air.

And they wasted no time to jump on it.

"Then we should strike at midday when there is the most light."

"Then it _must_ be today because clouds are already gathering upon the horizon and will be here by tomorrow."

"That is not enough time. We do not even know where it is-"

"We cannot wait," Yula interrupted spreading her hands over the map. Her finger traced the line from the encounter back towards the path her squad had come and stopped right at the pass... only a precious few clicks from the gates of Ingvarr. "It is waiting for nightfall to cross the plains to reach the city."

"If that is the case then why did it not come last night?" Drenica asked. 

"If it is looking for something, it might not have known where to find it or if it was called away it might have been delayed."

"Then we go today." Ashtarre pointed at one of the guards near the door. "Get the squads on standby at the gates. _Now."_

"Good. Now how to _find_ this monster?"

Naomi jabbed a finger at the map and traced it across the southern quadrant. "There is too much ground to cover. We need to force it to surface. Perform a _reishstal_ from the north then a gridded sweep towards the southwest-"

"We do not have that kind of time," Drenica interrupted, her mind filling with calculations. "It needs less than half a day for the sun to disappear behind the mountains before we are at its mercy."

Amidst the rising voices and emphatic gestures, Inga watched with arms crossed and a cool impassiveness that would have been eerie had it been anyone other than her yet as Cassandra tried to keep up with the rapidly evolving conversation, she kept her eyes on her mentor.

"... Along the cliffs and pull it towards the pass," Jarga was saying. "Force it to the center and out into the plains."

"Not the cliffs..." Inga muttered in a low voice just loud enough that Cassandra heard her words like a phantom thought. 

Yula shook her head against the proffered plan. _"_ _Nej,_ like Drenica said in a few hours the cliff faces will be shrouded in shadows. Besides, we cannot _pull_ it anywhere and it will not go near the plains because there is no cover. _Nej..._ " She ran a finger along the ridge that dipped into the ravine below. "It has to be the grove itself. Just enough shadows for it to feel safe but we can edge it out of the trees from behind and keep it along the ridge line here and here where there is the most sunlight and nowhere for it to retreat."

Jarga rolled her shoulders backwards and looked down at Yula. Her very presence commanded the room... that, and the giant "fuck off" sword strapped across her muscular back. 

"The net you suggest we cast is too small and the monster will slip through our grasp," she stated. "We must trap it against the cliffs and force it into the open."

Yula lifted her chin to meet her gaze and said in an even tone, "Then you better pray the sun decides to linger in the sky for an extra three hours or else you just killed the entire platoon."

All other conversation ceased and Jarga raised an eyebrow. "I would not expect a _jyorsta_ _skaikandr_ to understand..."

With a slow step forward, Yula closed the distance between them and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Only _jyorsta_ in age, not in rank, _ellsilvr_ ," Yula said calmly but forcefully. "Though the number of winters matters not, it seems, when it comes to battlefield blessings." She placed a hand on the hilt of her blade for emphasis and Jarga narrowed her eyes dangerously.

There was a hum of appreciation off to the side and Inga stepped between them. "If you try to intimidate a Fearless, Jarga, you will not succeed."

The way she had positioned herself forced Jarga to look into her eyes... and the larger warrior held her gaze for a single moment then looked away, proving that not even she was immune to that piercing stare. With a clench of her jaw Jarga took a step backwards then Inga turned to Yula.

"How do you propose to get it there?" 

"We have five squads," Yula explained. "Perform a layered pincer thread here and here."

"But if one squad were to encounter the monster then they would be unable to complete the maneuver," Naomi said.

"That is why it is layered, _Skaikandr,"_ Yula clarified. "At least one squad will be within reach of the others for backup."

Silence filled the room yet the minds within it were anything but. Ashtarre moved her fingers in the air and began mentally moving the squads into position on the map while Drenica began counting everything from the estimated time to intercept to the position of the sun during the setup.

"This is going to be tight..." she muttered as she ran a finger thoughtfully over her chin. 

"What if it escapes the pincer?" Jarga asked folding her arms across her chest. "Then what?"

"Perform a _h_ _oldrach_ maneuver against the ridge line," Ashtarre said, her eyes never leaving the map. "Tighten the net, and put the creature where we want it, not where _it_ wants to go."

There was a pause.

"It will take time to set up a _holdrach_ ," Naomi said.

Ashtarre turned to look at her carefully and said with confidence, "We will make it work."

" _Excellent_ ," Inga hissed like ice upon hot metal and they all turned to look at her. "Set the trap in the clearing then push it from the trees from behind. The edge of the ravine will ensure there is no place for it to run and without its shadows to protect it, we will _shred it to pieces."_

A hush fell over the assembly yet it was not the ferocity in her voice that caused them to pause.

"You are coming with, _Roskedda_ _?"_ Naomi asked.

In that one simple moment when Inga squared her shoulders and looked upon her warriors with unchallenged strength and confidence she seemed a giant among mortals rivaled only by the statues of the Seven Sisters themselves.

"I have lost too many daughters already," she said in a low voice. "I will not risk any more. Besides..." She glanced at Yula. "There is a squad that is currently missing a _rhanvar_."

It was the slightest of tugs that lifted the corner of Yula's mouth into a small smile. It hadn't been too long ago that she had trained under Wolf Mother. Of course back then her mentor's hair had been a little less grey, the wrinkles a little less deep, and her eyes a little less cold. But as her former teacher stood before her now she did so as a warrior speaking with another warrior offering to take the place of an injured sister. 

"I would be honored to have you join us, _Roskedda_ ," Yula said.

"It is decided then," Inga announced. Her eyes scanned the room before she nodded to Ashtarre then to Naomi and Yula each in turn. "We have among us a Strong, a Swift, a Fearless..." She placed a hand on her own sword. "And a Relentless."

Then in an event so rare and so terrifying it had earned her the name the Fangs of Ingvarr, Wolf Mother smiled.

"This monster will _die_."

It wasn't much.

A shred of hope.

A fighting chance. 

It was all they had but to an Ingvarri warrior it was enough. It had to be for there would be no second chances.

They all knew what failure meant, that if there were no more sister's to draw breath upon the battlefield this day and the sun set behind the mountains there would be nothing to stop the monster from reaching Ingvarr. Nothing to stop it from tearing through its walls... and all those inside it.

But first the creature had to walk over a platoon of bodies to get there.

And Cassandra knew that even if she was the last one standing, she would never let those shadowy hands of death touch her city.

She was ready.

"Is it true?"

It was a sudden unexpected question that came from behind her and she turned.

"Of course it is true _,_ " Ashtarre said quickly before Cassandra could even reply. "Amari was watching the gates when they brought her in and saw the whole thing. Identical wounds on the both of them." She met Cassandra's gaze and said quietly, "You took the injury from your _rhanvar_."

Her words softened into a reverence Cassandra had never heard before, a gentle respectfulness reserved for stone monuments of old legends.

The other commanders stood patiently and Cassandra slowly raised her hand and pulled down the collar of her jacket exposing the jagged edges of her scar. 

There was a sharp inhalation of breath as Naomi tilted her head backwards while Drenica's single eye widened in appreciation. 

"It is surely a mark of Hrevka's favor," Naomi said in awe. 

" _Ai,_ seems more like the blessing of Anja to me," Ashtarre replied placing a strong hand upon Cassandra's shoulder. "To refuse to one such as _Dosk_ is an act of the Angel herself."

Rare it was to receive a blessing from one of the Seven. Rarer still to survive the encounter once it was bestowed. Cassandra had not felt a holy hand being placed upon her, had felt no different other than the strength leaving her as Talia's wound began to close as the one upon her own chest began to open yet... 

Those last whispered words out of her mouth had not been the incantation as written by whatever celestial hand had created it. 

She had asked someone to save Talia.

And as Cassandra stood among the commanders being given a strange kind of admiration, she couldn't help but feel that, well... perhaps someone had helped her after all...

Amidst the gentle words of praise and awe, subtle movement to her right caught Cassandra's attention and she saw Inga talking to Yula in hushed tones. With urgency of one used to giving orders and being obeyed, Wolf Mother spoke quickly and quietly but before she had even finished Yula shook her head.

Though it was said softly, Cassandra could read the word upon her lips. 

_Nej._

More words. Another shake of her head just as firm and resolute as before if not more so. A heavy hand descended upon Yula's shoulder and suddenly she turned to gaze sorrowfully at Cassandra. That look in her eyes... it was a sadness, broken, reshaped, and broken again as more words filled her ear and Cassandra couldn't help but wonder why.

After a moment Inga's hand slipped away and Yula walked over to her sister just as the other commanders dispersed to make final preparations.

"What was that about?" Cassandra asked.

Worry was etched deep into her face and for a moment Yula didn't look at her and simply shook her head. 

"Yula, what's going on?"

With a great sigh her elder sister said, "Inga wants you to be the tip of the spear during the assault."

The "Tip of Ingvarra's Spear" the front liners were called. The first to warn of danger. The first to draw blades against the enemy. And so often the first among the injured... and the dead.

Appropriate, it seemed, to respond but as Cassandra opened her mouth she suddenly paused. It was instinct, that need to accept the opportunity for the honor it was. Another chance to prove herself. Another chance to cement her place beside her sisters in combat.

But now...

_I'm coming back._

It was the look upon Rapunzel's face that stole the breath she would have used to reply, her voice stilled by emerald eyes reflected with tears. The memory of that moment, the touch, the taste, the feeling... The promise.

How could she turn it into a lie now?

"Yula, I..." Incomplete thoughts vied for answers yet Cassandra could make sense of none of them. But there was one voice she heard so clearly...

_Why does it always have to be you, Cass?_

_I don't know, Raps,_ she confessed. _This time I don't know._

But it was a question that deserved an answer. She owed Rapunzel that much at least.

"Why me?" she asked quietly.

And Yula looked into her sister's eyes and said with a voice heavy with despair, "She thinks the monster is drawn to you."

Cassandra's mouth suddenly went very dry.

"You mean she wants to use me as bait," she replied in a low voice.

"She did not say as much in front of the other _skaikandri_ but she thinks the monster left you alive for a reason. You were the only one to survive the attacks, Cassa. The fact that it retreated and left you alive... Inga thinks it no coincidence."

"Then she's _wrong_ ," Cassandra said vehemently. "It didn't _want_ me. If it did, I wouldn't be standing here right now..."

Yula nodded and held up a hand. "I know, _rhanvarla_. That is what I told her." 

A silence passed between them. 

"I will not let her use you like that," Yula said. "We will find some other way force it to reveal itself."

But it was the linchpin in the plan, a plan that was already stretched thin on resources and time and too much damned ground to cover and not enough sunlight to do it in. The layered pincer would work... it _had_ to, but unless they forced the monster to that one spot within that specific period of time...

Which they could.

By giving it something it wanted.

Suddenly Inga approached them, her hands resting behind her back in that oh so familiar pose. Some might have called it arrogance. Others would have called it a mistake to leave one's center exposed as she did without her arms readily free for defense but Cassandra knew full well it was a show of strength that said even with her arms behind her back, Wolf Mother was still capable of bringing anyone to their knees.

But the show of intimidation did little to deter Yula from standing to her full imposing height beside Cassandra as the icy gaze of the High General considered them both.

"A moment with your _reyvek_ , _Skaikandr_ ," Inga said. 

Yula clenched her jaw and a slight inhale only partially filled her chest.

For several heartbeats nothing happened, the two warriors locking eyes in a silent contest where nothing was said but spoke volumes. 

But it hadn't been a question.

Nor was it a request.

With a final glance at her sister that told her she wouldn't be far, Yula left them to speak in private.

And Wolf Mother wasted no time.

"Eight days, eleven hours and twenty-three minutes," she said suddenly.

"What?" Cassandra asked confused.

"Eight days, eleven hours and twenty-three minutes," Inga repeated, "after you passed by the outskirts of Valengarr, the creature attacked my scouts."

An uneasy feeling crept into Cassandra's stomach. It shouldn't have surprised her that Wolf Mother knew of her arrival near the training camp but the precision of her statement suggested something... more.

"Seems to me it was heading to Ingvarr all along," Cassandra replied carefully.

But Inga ignored the reply and took a slow measured step towards her.

"The foothills of the Belandrian Mountains," she said and began watching her very carefully. "A small farming village on the outskirts of the Winding Hills. Stone River Pass. Draxia. Mina. Corner Heights.”

Cassandra felt each name slide across her throat like some ghostly finger was crossing them off a list and it made her freeze. And just like any phantom touch across her neck, she suddenly tensed and her jaw clenched yet the moment she did she knew she had just damned herself.

Inga arched her head back and looked down her nose at Cassandra, her suspicions confirmed.

"How did you know?"

"I did not," Wolf Mother replied narrowing her eyes. "You just told me. Yet I suspected as much."

It's what was underneath that gaze that concerned Cassandra the most. Inga was a walking elemental of stone. She betrayed nothing. Gave away nothing. And those eyes... even when she was the most silent in the entire room she observed more than any of them ever could for words only meant so much when the body revealed infinitely more.

And suddenly the unease inside Cassandra's chest grew much stronger. "Why were you having me followed?"

It was the fear that took the rounded edges of her question and made them sharp and Inga raised a brow at her pointed response yet did not chastise her. Instead she simply said, "I was not. Those were the locations that reported suffered similar casualties to those of my initiates. Same method of death. Ripped apart not by steel but something more." 

All those places... it was a trail of death dragged through the dirt by ghostly footsteps and the edge of a curved blade made of shadows... a trail Cassandra hadn't realized was so close behind her.

But there was one location that was missing.

_Corona._

But before she could open her mouth to speak Inga was suddenly right in front of her, her movements so smooth that not even the slightest shift in weight was noticeable until it was too late. 

Wolf Mother leaned down until her eyes were level with Cassandra's and she said in a very low voice, "What is following you?"

Her mind told her she needed to respond, to make some sound, to do _something_ but... stars, all she could do was stare into those icy blue depths that saw everything, knew everything about her, more than she herself knew.

"Nothing," Cassandra said once she found her voice again, "is following me."

It was said with a confidence she didn't quite feel but for the conviction it lacked she knew it was the truth... at least the truth that she knew.

The daughters of Ingvarr did not lie to their mothers and as Inga's irises moved back and forth across Cassandra's face she could see that no falsehood was being told to her, yet she knew omission was often the easiest lie not to tell.

"I can see you believe that yet your ignorance does not belie the truth of the situation," Wolf Mother said. "What were you doing in the Mystic Mountains?"

"It doesn't matter," Cassandra said defensively trying her best to meet the coldness of Inga's stare. 

"It does," her mentor replied carefully, "when we have no idea what we are up against. There are many things that live in those mountains, _rhan_. Stories, beasts of myth, treasures... and things that slumber unless one if foolish enough to wake them."

_Wake up..._

Cassandra's heart stopped. The pulse that should have gone through her chest was suddenly stilled by the cold gnarled fingers of fear and just as she tried to draw breath she found she couldn't... 

Because realization had numbed her mind of all thoughts except one.

_Something followed us out of the Nexus._

Impossible.

All this time...

No. No, she didn't _make_ those kinds of mistakes... to be so careless not to have known that something was behind them, trailing so close as if it was a phantom breath upon her neck she never felt...

Never felt because that warning whisper upon her skin had been replaced by something else. A cool breeze that wound through the trees, fresh mountain air and crisp mornings that woke her with the scent of flowers and sun kissed skin...

A cruel truth it was that dawned upon her... that she hadn't been paying attention to what lay behind her... not when there was something so wonderful right in front of her. 

_Rapunzel..._

And with startling suddenness it all began to make sense.

The monster...

It hadn't tried to kill her.

Nor did it want her.

Which meant only one thing.

It wasn't after her.

_It's after Rapunzel._

"We do not have time for this," Inga stated slicing through Cassandra's thoughts. "If you know anything else about this creature, you must tell me now."

An impossible storm began to build inside Cassandra's heart filled with guilt and fear and a sense of urgency that fueled the fire of both but Inga was right. They were running out of time.

"I don't, _Roskedda,_ " she said confidently, emphasizing her sincerity with reverence in her mentor's title. "Had I know something was following me, I _never_ would have brought it to Ingvarr's gates. You know I wouldn't."

Wolf Mother held her gaze for just a moment longer until... her eyes drifted to Cassandra's neck and the top of the now legendary scar that lived there. The proof of her devotion to her Ingvarri family. 

And with a nod Inga arched her back and pulled away to stand tall once again knowing her daughter was telling the truth.

"I do not doubt you, _rhan,"_ she said, the edge to her voice gone like a sheathed blade. "I never did. Out of all that I trained there was always something different about you and it is not your _moonstjorn_ magic." Her voice trailed off with a softness Cassandra had never heard from her before and she added very quietly, "You remind me of her."

In the world of building warriors, nothing was given for free. It was the first thing Cassandra had learned in Valengarr, that every lesson was bought and paid for in sweat or blood or both yet each moment was infinitely more valuable than any precious metal or pretty gem that ever exchanged greedy hands. But this... this was an unprompted reveal of something she had never seen before and she couldn't help but let her curiosity get the better of her when she asked:

"Who?"

A moment of silence passed between them until, finally, Inga said, "My first daughter."

_First._

So often it meant the one who came before all others, one among the many, and indeed Inga had had many daughters. She had told her as much. Those she adopted as they made their way through Valengarr were ones she had seen so much fire and potential in like Cassandra herself.

But Cassandra knew for someone like Inga "first" meant something much different.

She meant her blood daughter.

Very slowly, Inga lifted her hand and for a moment Cassandra thought she was going to place it upon her shoulder but instead those calloused fingers wrapped around the hilt of her sword and drew it with such a masterful flourish that it barely made a whisper as it left its sheath. She ran two fingers along the flat of the metal where the sigils were etched into the shining steel and she traced the patterns with a gentleness that Cassandra didn't know she was capable of.

"She was blessed by Anja," Wolf Mother explained. "A difficult life it is, to be chosen by the Angel, to place the lives of your sisters before your own." Her words trailed off into the realm of memories and she added so softly, "So many _rhanvari_ are alive because of her."

As Inga stared at the reflection in the blade, her eyes looking at something far away.

"Hers was a glorious death. This was made for her, kept, waiting to be used."

She looked up at Cassandra and held the sword out to her. "I think you have more than earned it, _rhan."_

It seemed almost too hallowed to touch now, the blade she had kept with her all this time, the one she had trusted her life to time and again. But it was there being offered to her, waiting to be taken and very slowly Cassandra wrapped her fingers around the hilt and gently took it from Inga's hand. A gift. One the meant more than she realized. Out of all the weapons upon that table Inga could have given her...

She gazed at the symbols etched into the surface of the steel and saw herself reflected in them. All this time and she had fought with the blessings of Anja the Protector upon her blade...

"I... I didn't know," she said. "I showed the sigils to the others and they couldn't read them..."

"It is because it is ancient Ingvarri known only to a few," Inga explained. "I inscribed it myself."

There was something in her tone that made Cassandra pause. A reverence, a longing... a familiar weariness. The heavy heart of one who had seen too many loved ones die.

But just as quickly as it came it disappeared behind that mask of stone.

"Come," Inga said breaking the silence between them. "It is time to summon the Storm."

Cassandra could do nothing but nod as her mentor walked away leaving her with heavy thoughts upon her mind.

_The blessing of Anja the Protector..._

_It is waiting for nightfall to cross the plains to reach the city..._

_It's coming..._

_Rapunzel..._

_Something followed us out of the Nexus_...

Before she knew what she was doing, Cassandra moved across the room and pulled Yula aside.

"I'll do it," she said. "I'll lead the assault."

"Cassa-"

"We're running out of time, Yula," Cassandra said quietly. "I'll do it."

Yula pursed her lips together and took a deep breath and looked around the room. The other commanders were beginning to depart to meet their squads at the gate and there was precious little time left for planning.

They needed to act.

And they needed to act quickly.

With a hand upon her shoulder, Yula gave met her gaze steadily. "I will not let anything happen to you, _rhanvarla."_

*****

_Farveda._

Such a simple word. It was the dusk to _Ishtah_ 's dawn, a parting phrase of the sincerest kind more often said with smiles rather than sobs as the implication meant more than the word itself could convey:

_Until we meet again._

There was no Ingvarri who walked alone. Forever was she surrounded by the strength of her sisters whether by sword or spirit and they all knew that they would see each other once more... whether in this life or the next.

It was the only thing that made moments such as this bearable.

To any outsiders watching, it appeared as if a group of them were leaving for a day trip and nothing more. There were no tears, no words of pleading, no frowns or expressions of sorrow upon the faces of the Ingvarri gathered at the gates. 

One would never have guessed that they were preparing for battle.

A pair of childhood friends exchanged playful jabs in the shoulder as a young girl ran past their feet and into the arms of her mother who was clad in full armor. With strong arms the woman lifted her daughter high into the air and spun her around, careful to avoid bumping into the two warriors behind them who were in the middle of exchanging intimate words followed by a kiss and quiet smiles.

And all throughout the crowd were the whispered words of _farveda._

It pulled at something inside Cassandra and she lowered her gaze, her hand tugging on the buckle of her belt that sat just a few precious hairs lower than she would have liked. The notch in the leather was getting too big and would have to be replaced. A minor annoyance and one Cassandra didn't concern herself with long. Instead she let her fingers drift to the long knife at her side and with a practiced flick she popped the hilt up and out of the sheath. Better. Much better. The blade wasn't sticking as much as it had before. It was a good thing she had oiled it when she had.

But then again she already knew that. 

It was the third time she had checked it.

She couldn't help it. With all the sweet words of parting around her all she felt was that sorrowful tide rising within her chest. She would receive no such final words, no parting farewells, no final embrace, no good luck kiss. Still...

With a quick glance she searched the crowd once more but there was no short chestnut hair among them, no emerald eyes searching for her.

She understood why Rapunzel wasn't there. They had already said all that was needed to say, promised all the things that could be promised, and had that one final moment bathed in the light of the crimson dawn upon which a kiss sealed an unbreakable oath of love undying. 

Perhaps it was better this way... that she didn't have to physically turn her back on Rapunzel and walk away from her. Knowing what she knew now it would have made things that much more difficult but still... what Cassandra wouldn't give just to see her one more time. 

There was nothing more to say, nothing more to do...

Except for her to walk back through those gates on her own two feet.

And she would.

But first she had a monster to kill.

Small feet ran past her and she blinked, brought back to the present by giggles and a happy exclamation and Cassandra watched as Yula knelt down just as Bjorn ran into her arms. Her eyes were bright and her smile was warm as she spoke to him in hushed tones like she was leaving for the market and would be back soon and Cassandra wondered if the toddler knew what was happening, where his mother was going. 

A sharp whistle pierced the air and all eyes turned to the front. Yula gave her son one last kiss before placing him in the arms of _Amma_ Sanna and he waved goodbye as she went to take her place with Cassandra at the head of the crowd.

A single shout went up in succession one after the other down the line and once it reached Yula she raised her voice in acknowledgement that yes, her warriors were ready. 

The last voice echoed out and in the space between silence reigned.

A mane of grey moved through the assembly and the warriors parted around her like waves before a ship. With sure steps Inga climbed the handful of stone stairs to the landing that elevated her above the crowd and she looked out at her sisters, her daughters, the mothers and wives of the fiercest family ever to come together in one house. She held out a hand and the nearest guard gave her her own spear. Strong fingers wrapped around the shaft and she held the end suspended above the ground.

Not a foot shuffled nor a piece of armor creaked as all eyes watched the High General.

It was time to summon the Storm.

" _Aera Inga, Roskedda e rhan yr Ingvarra!"_ Wolf Mother announced lifting her gaze to the sky. Then she looked upon her sisters and daughters. " _Ve reishta..."_ she said calmly then the muscles in her neck tensed and her voice boomed...

_"KAE STREIGA!"_

_"_ _SEIJ HREDA!_ _"_ the warriors replied.

She raised the spear high then thrust the end into the ground and there was a resounding _BOOM!_ as thirty-four feet stomped in perfect unison. Then...

 _One TWO, one TWO, one TWO_ Inga's spear kept the first beat and the warrior's kept the second as high upon the parapets the resounding heartbeat of a drum matched the tempo.

It was a rhythm they all knew. It was the pulse within their chests, the melody behind every nursery rhyme, the song of daily activities that hummed throughout the city, the life, the blood, the very soul of Ingvarr.

All around Cassandra heads began to nod as the sound grew louder but it wasn't just from the sisters gathered beside her. Those upon the gate brought sword and spear against shields adding to the rhythm making it stronger, more powerful, creating an echo that sang throughout the city. From those in the market to those at the docks feet stomped, weapons clashed, louder and louder, a call any and all who heard it answered until it was a fever, a city as one raised together in chorus.

Then they began to chant:

 _"_ _Vao-ro_

_Ta vas-ken_

_Ast kae Strei-ga_

_Ash-tar_ _t_ _hei-vas_

_Vao-ro rei-las_

_Vi Rai Sol-va_

_Ast kae Strei-ga!_

_Vao-ro_

_Ta vas-ken_

_Ast kae Strei-ga!_

_Ash-tar_ _t_ _hei-vas_

_Vao-ro rei-las_

_Vi Rai Sol-va_

_AST KAE STREI-GA!"_

_BOOM!_

_booooom..._

_boooom..._

_boom..._

A perfect echo, that one final note, it bounced off the gates themselves, the walls, the homes inside it, a beat of the heart inside every Ingvarri's chest. 

A cool breeze swept past Cassandra and gently brushed the hair from her eyes as she looked to the sky with the rest of her sisters. 

And they waited in silence.

There have been very few times in history when the heavens answered with a clap of thunder or a flash of lightning yet the Ingvarri knew that even without it, the Seven were still with them...

A low rumble cascaded down from the mountains where the crimson clouds gathered and a spark of excitement shot through Cassandra's chest. That feeling in the air... it was electric, like it carried upon it the voice of giants. Of legends.

It was the most thrilling of chills that crept down her spine and into her fingers, a sensation of cold fire unlike any she had ever felt before. It gripped her, held her, lifted her... Cassandra turned to Yula and yes, her sister felt it too, the elation upon her face unmistakable.

With a wild smile, Yula nodded her head and lifted her sword high and shouted, " _Ast kae STREIGA!_ _"_

Swords, spears, axes, they all were thrust into the air as the sisters around her took up the call and Cassandra, caught up in the intense fervor of the moment, did the same.

Yet even with the blessing of the Storm they all knew it was a warning. The more they waited, the more sunlight they lost.

And the message from the Seven Sisters was clear.

_You better hurry, daughters. Darkness is coming._

It was difficult to watch as a piece of her heart left the safety of the city for whatever unknown dangers waited beyond the valley plains but Rapunzel took comfort in the fact that she would see Cassandra again soon.

There was a shift in weight beneath her and she patted Max's neck praising him for his patience thus far. He was eager to get going.

So was she.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Rapunzel's gaze never left the departing warriors and as they got closer to the horizon she took a deep breath and nodded. "I have to, Eugene. We're stronger together. We always have been. She needs me there."

“If that's the case, then I want it on record that I’m firmly against this idea,” Eugene said.

“While we’re recording things I’d like it noted that Detalla is _not_ bigger than me,” Lance added.

“You can always stay behind,” Rapunzel said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as the wind began to pick up. From atop her shoulder Pascal made a questioning squeak. He, too, was nervous. None of them knew what they were going to find out there but they had fought monsters and demons and magical creatures before. Always together, always stronger, just like she said. The tapestry of what they could accomplish knew no limits, its threads wound so tightly it was stronger than steel.

And it was upon that hope that Rapunzel placed herself now.

The one that would make sure Cassandra came back safely.

"Rapunzel..."

They were specs upon the horizon now. It wouldn't be too hard to catch up with them...

"Hey."

She turned and looked at Eugene, his gaze pleading. 

"Are you sure?"

And as Rapunzel stared into his warm brown eyes she saw herself reflected in them.

"She'd do the same for me," she replied softly then urged Max forward. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone!  
> Wanted to write a very special note to express my biggest thanks to FandomMenace for helping me name the first Albanian Ingvarri, Commander Drenica (aka “Nitsa”), the Demon Hunter of Ingvarr.  
> It's been quite the journey so far (this story is already longer than the original "Shards"!) and FandomMenace has been awesome in letting me ramble about super vague plot ideas and helping talk me out of my misery spiral while writing the chapter with Talia's "death".
> 
> As always, thank you all for your continued support and heartfelt comments. They are very much appreciated.


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